Revenge
by pyrena93
Summary: ON HIATUS FOR THE FORSEEABLE FUTURE BUT I WILL FINISH IT, I PROMISE! IT JUST MIGHT TAKE A WHILE.
1. Protecting Kel

This is my first fanfiction so make sure to leave reviews and tell me what you think and how I can improve it.

Disclaimer- I am not Tamora Pierce and own nothing but the plot

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July 461

Corus, the capital of Tortall

Six well dressed men sat around a large table in a small but well furnished room in the center of the palace. King Jonathan sat at one end of the table. To his left sat one of his oldest friends, Sir Lord Raoul of Goldenlake and Malorie's Peak. George Cooper of Pirate's Swoop sat next to Raoul with Sir Myles of Olau to his left. Flyndan Whiteford, Raoul's second in command, and Sir Gareth the Younger, King Jonathan's closest friend and advisor, sat across from them.

A few empty chairs had been pulled back from the table and were littered around the room. As George was finishing his report, a violet- eyed knight strode in through the door, which had been locked, previously.

"Now, doesn't this look cozy," remarked Alanna the Lioness of Pirate's Swoop, eyes flashing. She grabbed a chair and thrust it between Raoul and George, forcing them to make room or risk being squashed.

"So, I see you found them," remarked a rich, feminine voice from the doorway. All of the men turned to watch as Queen Thayet followed Alanna's lead. Flyndan and Gary moved their chairs to the right as Thayet gracefully placed her chair next to her husband. "You should all know better than to try and have a secret meeting. Alanna knew something was up almost immediately when she couldn't find anyone to spar with," chided Thayet, teasingly.

Raoul smirked at this, obviously thinking back to when he told Jon the same thing, just as Alanna smacked him. Hard, if the way he was rubbing his head was any indication.

"So sorry to interrupt. Please continue George," Alanna remarked in a sickly sweet voice that had the surrounding men feeling just a bit nervous.

George just smiled down at his oh so lovely wife. "As I was saying before I was so rudely interrupted…" George broke off as his wife smacked him.

"I love you, too, hon." George dodged her fist just in time and continued. "The Scanrans have, basically, given up the war. They are completely outnumbered and unprepared and have finally realized it. They have not won a battle since Blayce the Gallan was killed and King Maggur is absolutely furious. He killed twelve of his personal guards just last month, which isn't sitting too well with his other supporters. I believe, or rather, I hope we might be able to start on a treaty within a year. Hopefully, by then, the council will have killed Maggur and we can negotiate with his successor."

"What about the Bearsford massacre," interrupted his wife? "The men who destroyed that town just weeks ago didn't seem to think they were losing or that the war was ending."

At Alanna's comment, most of the men in the room mad the sign to ward off evil on their chests. They all remembered the sickening report that had come in from a company passing through the area on their way to relieve soldiers at the Scanran border.

A party of about twenty or thirty raiders had torn into the town at night killing every living thing and completely trashing the place. No one survived and no one was even aware of what had occurred until days after.

Sir Myles shifted nervously in his seat. "Yeah, well, we had no information of any attack being planned for so far in to Tortall. Apparently, Maggur is beginning to lose control of his people. Other than a few… erm… shall was say, determined individuals, most are ready to give up the fight. I believe they are feeling the effects of a drawn out war. They are losing men at every turn, clans are draining the last of their reserves, commoners have yet to see proof of Tortall's riches, and Maggur is getting more and more unpredictable as the weeks pass."

"So, Maggur might be killed sooner than expected," asked Gareth? "If he is acting as unpredictable as George's report suggests, might the council kill him sooner rather than drag out the war?"

"Possibly," conceded Myles, "But we shouldn't count on it. There have been numerous attempts on his life in the last year that have all failed. While they have been getting more frequent, they haven't gotten any more successful."

"And that still might not help Kel," replied Raoul after Myles, worry etched in the lines on his face. He thought of Keladry of Mindelan, his ex-squire as a daughter and was terrified for her safety, not that he would ever admit as much. "The council might still want to take revenge for what happened with Blayce and for what she did to several of their troops in Scanra and for what she did to Rathhausak Castle."

"We still don't know if they even know who is responsible. I don't think they knew where exactly the souls fueling the machines were and Kel was careful to keep any news of her presence there from getting out," Flyn gently reminded Raoul. He was worried as well though he tried not to show it. He respected and liked Kel much more than he wanted to admit, considering he didn't want Raoul to take her on as a squire in the first place.

King Jonathan watched the scene unfolding before him with an amused smile of his face. He could hardly believe that this new Raoul was the same one he had been friends with for forever. Raoul had been the happiest confirmed bachelor for the longest time, yet here he was, married and fretting over the safety of his "daughter".

Thayet saw the amusing twinkle in her husband's eye and wondered what he was up to.

"Since I would rather not risk it, I ordered Kel back to Corus. She is too well known and liked for Tortall to lose her now," remarked Jon, effectively silencing the conversation going on around him.

"You, what?" sputtered Raoul at the same time that Alanna demanded "why?"

"I sent an order to the Lady Knight and Sir Neal of Queenscove several weeks back requiring them to return to Corus," replied Jon in a calm voice, knowing that it irritated his friends. "As for why I did it, Alanna, I thought it would be obvious. Kel needs to be kept safe and that can be better accomplished her in the palace than on the Scanran border."

Alanna jumped up, still enraged. "She will be furious," she screeched. "Kel isn't stupid. She will know what you are doing and she won't be happy about it. She didn't go through knight training to be coddled and she said as much to Wyldon when he put her in charge of Haven. She will be even less pleased being forced to return to Corus."

"I know this, Alanna," remarked Jon, just as calmly as before. "That doesn't change the necessity of it. Kel is becoming almost as legendary as you are. People have seen her traveling with the Own, talking with commoners and just being visible. Everyone she helps sings her praises and she is known for treating everyone fairly from animals to the lowliest beggar. People know of what she did for her people and her nickname is spreading like a wildfire. It will not help morale for her to be killed in revenge."

Jon then rounded on Raoul before Alanna could respond. "And I expect you to convince her of that fact."

Raoul nodded. "When does she arrive?"

I believe she arrived yesterday with the third company of the King's Own," interjected Myles.

Raoul rounded on Flyn. "She arrived yesterday and you didn't tell me. So I have been worried for weeks thinking she was still at New Hope when, in reality, she has been traveling with you?" accused Raoul.

Before Flyn could begin to defend himself, Jon cut in. "Well; now you know. Kel is here and safe and knowing she was traveling wouldn't have stopped you from worrying any less. Now, before I dismiss everyone, is that it?" When nobody added anything, Jon nodded. "Well, that's that. Remember, we meet with the council tomorrow. Be prepared for any reports they throw our way."

With that, Jon and Thayet strode out leaving a baffled Raoul, fuming Alanna, and a smirking George.


	2. So You'll Stay?

Thank you to all that reviewed my story. It made me feel so good. I am going to try to update at least once a week, though hopefully I will be able to update more often than that. Yes, this is going to be a Kel/ Dom story but the romance won't be the focus of the story.

Disclaimer- I am not Tamora Pierce and I onw nothing but the plot and that goes for the whole story

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Raoul strode through the castle to Kel's new knight rooms. Since she was no longer his squire, she had been moved to rooms near her year-mates. Raoul had been to her rooms several times during the winter, after her ordeal, looking for someone to spar with so he knew where he was going.

Raoul knocked on Kel's door, hoping that she would not be in there. He knew he was being childish but he still had absolutely no idea of what to tell Kel. For someone who is usually so even- tempered, Kel could almost match Alana when she got really riled up.

Raoul knocked again and this time he heard movement behind Kel's door. After a moment or two, Lalasa, Kel's ex- maid, opened the door. She had probably been working on Kel's clothes.

"Kel is at the practice courts," Lalasa said, correctly guessing what Raoul was doing there. "She brought her clothes to my shop last night and she wasn't in the best of moods. When I arrived here this morning, she was stalking around her rooms like a caged animal. One of your men stopped by to see her and she dragged him off to the practice courts. I am guessing that she is still there."

With that, Raoul nodded to Lalasa and left, amused. Lalasa was an enigma, which was obvious. For someone who seemed scared of her own shadow, she handled Kel's furious mood easily. She also refused to let Kel pay for her services and Buri had told him about how she taught common girls fighting moves. Raoul thought that that might be the most he had ever heard her say at one time.

Raoul made his way over to the practice courts that the men of the Own usually claimed as theirs. There he saw Kel completely trouncing one of his sergeants, Domitan of Masbolle.

As they finished, Raoul laughed at the scene before him, causing both Kel and Dom to jump in surprise. Dom probably appreciated the interruption seeing as he was lying on his back, completely covered in mud and bruises, with Kel's sword pointed at his neck.

Kel had taken to practicing with her sword after one of the Scanran attacks on New Hope. She had lost her glaive and had been forced to fight with a sword, which she was only adequate with. She had survived and found her glaive but it had still scared her and she was trying to regain some of her old sword abilities.

When Kel realized who had interrupted her match, she glowered at her former knight- master.

"So, what did Dom do to deserve such a humiliating trouncing," Raoul asked as he strode across the court to the pair?

Kel didn't even acknowledge Raoul's question but she withdrew her sword to her side, allowing Dom to move without his throat getting slit. Raoul helped Dom up as the sergeant flashed Kel his most charming smile. Raoul looked around, noticing that this court was completely empty. There were no other members of the Own practicing or showing off for the empty- headed court ladies, who were also suspiciously missing.

"Kel scared them off," Dom told Raoul, noticing him looking around. "Some of my men thought it was funny to hound on me as Kel completely beat me. No amount of latrine duty seemed to faze them until Kel turned on them. I have never seen my men move that fast, even when there was food involved."

Raoul laughed, which drew Kel's attention back to him. Raoul noticed the determined glint in Kel's eyes and sent Dom to go get washed up. As Dom left, Kel unleashed her aggravation on her former knight master.

"Sir, what am I doing here? Things were finally slowing down in New Hope. There have been fewer attacks and we were in the middle of setting up a town council. I had expected to be moved to an actual fighting position again," Kel burst out, her frustrations breaking through her Yamani mask. "Instead, I'm called back to Corus and told that I won't be going back out with the third company again. Are they trying to keep me safe again just because I am a girl? I didn't work so hard to become a knight do that I …"

Raoul cut her off. "Yes, Kel," he answered, "They are trying to keep you safe."

Kel flushed but Raoul continued before she could start her rant again.

"But not because you are a girl. You did a great thing, killing Blayce the mage. You saved your people and helped turn the war in favor of Tortall. The council is already looking at creating a treaty with Scanra in the upcoming year, while this time last year, we were looking at a long, costly, and drawn out war. And that is all thanks to you. We are afraid, though, that the Scanran council will realize it too. The war is winding down and Scanra has mainly given up except for a few small, determined bands of soldiers. But what would happen if one of those bands realizes that you were the one that killed Blayce the Nothing Man and kills you. It would probably boost morale in Scanra, causing the war to pick up momentum again, And I can't even begin to think of what it would do to Tortall if we lost you. Everyone loves you, Kel. Your fellow knights, the men of the Own, even the commoners know and respect you and I don't want to think of what it would do if you died," Raoul finished in a soft, kind tone.

Kel nodded, unable to trust her voice. She knew he was probably right but she didn't want to accept it. Raoul hugged her and kissed her forehead.

"So you'll stay," asked Raoul? "You won't sneak away in the middle of the night to go on some half- baked scheme causing me to send my men after you, will you?"

Since it was a year after the incident, Kel managed to laugh."No," she agreed. "I'll stay here. I will obey orders and what you said makes a lot of sense, even if I don't like it."

Raoul laughed and drew away from her. "You wouldn't be you if you didn't hate your orders. Now, wash up and go to lunch. From the looks of it, you have been out here for a while. And no arguing, that is an order," Raoul said in a light tone.

Kel scowled. "I've said it before, you are a bad man, sir," Kel replied, jokingly.

As Kel followed his advice, Raoul thought about what to tell her the next time she asked. He knew that that explanation would only appease her for a time, and she would eventually want to return to active duty, even if the danger hasn't passed.

Maybe Raoul would get Buri to talk to Kel. His wife knew all about commanding, following orders, and having to be protected. His wife. Raoul still smiled when he thought about his beautiful, lovely warrior bride.


	3. Ambush!

Thank you to all of the people who reviewed my story. It made me feel so good.

Disclaimer- I am not Tamora Pierce and she owns Tortall, not me!

After Kel washed up and changed, listening to Lalasa gripe about pulled seams and torn garments, she made her way to the mess. When she got her food, Kel sat down with Neal and his new wife, Yukimi.

Noticing the pair bickering, as usual, Kel smiled. "Hit him for me, Yuki," Kel said gently as she sat down.

Yuki didn't even ask for an explanation as she pulled out her shukusen and whacked her husband on the head. As Neal cowered away from her, Yuki's eyes crinkled, telling Kel that she was happy.

"What did you do that for?" Neal asked, sounding for all the world like a petulant child.

Yuki just ignored her whining husband and looked expectantly at her longtime friend.

"He had it coming," Kel said simply to Yuki, ignoring her glowering best friend. "He knew that I didn't want to return to Corus so he spent the entire ride talking about all of the wondrous things we would get to do in Corus. Things like assemblies and balls and visits to Lalasa for new tunics. Oh joyous! Then, he talked about all of the trouble New Hope would likely get into while we were gone such as Valestone declaring himself headman, Fanche finally killing someone, or Tobe deciding to follow us to Corus. Two days into the trip and I was ready to kill him, Traitor's Hill be damned," continued Kel, completely exasperated.

Both Kel and Yuki glowered at Neal, causing him to sink lower in his chair. For once, he didn't have a smart-ass comeback ready and he seemed to recognize defeat.

"On the third day, though," continued Kel, mischievously, "It got worse. He started pining for you and began reciting poetry. He compared your eyebrows to the shadows in the forest and your eyes to the glint off of Stormwing feathers. I think he was getting a bit delirious."

At this point, Yuki turned and hit Neal again with her fan, which was Kel's point.

"You, Are. Evil," Neal stressed, looking at Kel's joking face.

Before she could do more than grin, Dom strode up to their table. He had washed up as well and looked much better than he had at the practice courts. He looked, actually, alive. Dom plopped his food on the table next to Kel before dropping into his seat and giving her a wry smile.

"Is that anyway to speak to a lady, Meathead?" Dom asked, preparing his food. "Especially one who could beat the living daylights out of you without breaking a sweat."

Yuki noticed her friend's faint blush before Kel hid it under her blank face. While Yuki pondered what it meant, Dom and Neal began bickering like little kids again. As Yuki pulled out her fan again, Neal shut up leaving Dom to be smacked by the shukusen.

"Ow!!" mouthed Dom, rubbing his throbbing head.

"Now you know how I feel," Neal gloated, obviously enjoying his cousin's pain. That earned him a third rap on his head.

Kel and Yuki left the cousins to their silly argument as more men from the Own came in to eat. They returned to Kel's rooms where Lalasa tortured her with clothes fittings.

A few hours later, Kel changed out of the last tunic as Lalasa and Yuki sat in the corner, indulging in palace gossip. Lalasa looked over at Kel and murmured something to her companion, causing Yuki to giggle lightly. Kel was shocked! She had never, ever heard her Yamani friend giggle!

Kel knew something was up and asked them about it but they denied knowing anything. Kel practiced a bit with her glaive as Lalasa worked on her garments and gossiped with Yuki.

As the sky began to darken, Kel finished a particularly difficult practice dance and began washing up. As she emerged from the privy, Kel noticed Lalasa's and Yuki's conspiratorial looks.

Kel had finally had enough. "Okay, that is it. What is going on?" Kel demanded. It was bad enough being stuck in Corus and she didn't need her two best girl friends acting so odd.

"I was wondering the same thing," answered Yuki, the corners of her eyes crinkling. "Is there anything going on that you wish to tell us about?"

"Particularly concerning a certain blue-eyes sergeant?" added Lalasa, smirking at her former employer.

Kel blushed furiously before pulling up her Yamani mask. "I have absolutely no idea what you are talking about," replied Kel, coolly, pushing down her emotions. "Dom and I are just friends."

"Oh, really? Then why are you still wearing your anti-pregnancy charm?" asked Yuki, just as observant as ever.

"And why was he comfortable enough to come up to your rooms at dawn?" added Lalasa before Kel could come up with a reply.

"And why do you always blush when he is even mentioned?"

"Why are more than half of your stories from your travels about him? He is only one person."

Yuki and Lalasa continued their barrage of questions, never giving Kel a chance to respond. She grew irritated and flustered and found it harder and harder to keep her face Yamani smooth.

By the time her friends finished their assault, Kel's brain was in overload. Most of the things Yuki and Lalasa had said made a lot of sense. Maybe she did like Dom as more than a friend. It would explain most of her bizarre actions, thoughts, and emotions from the last year.

She thought about telling him but almost immediately dismissed the idea. Dom was a flirt, plain and simple. He was never going to change and he had never given Kel any reason to suspect that he liked her as more than a friend, too.

Even if he did, Kel was fickle. She had like Neal a lot when they were pages but had grown out of it. She had thought that she was in love with Cleon and that she wanted to bed him, but that had changed when she saw him after being knighted. There had been a few other soldiers and knights that she had thought she liked but she quickly grew out of those, as well.

Kel couldn't imagine getting together with Dom only to tell him a year or so later that she no longer loved him. With that in mind, Kel decided on the only logical plan of action: denial.

The problem with that was that Yuki knew her really well and could see through her Yamani mask most of the time. Kel spent almost half an hour trying to convince Yuki and Lalasa that she didn't have any romantic feelings for Dom. Eventually, they gave up and left.

After they were gone, Kel changed into practice clothes and headed down to the courts with her glaive. She was too wound up to eat and she didn't think she could handle talking to Dom right then. Especially not with Yuki hovering around them, watching the interaction.

She spent about four hours at the courts before heading back to her rooms, exhausted. By then, night had well and truly fallen and the halls were empty. She fell asleep almost as soon as she got in bed and dreamt of a certain sergeant.


	4. Practice Courts

Finally, we get some action! Yeah!

Disclaimer- I don't own anything

Kel spent several days following the same schedule. She spent nearly all of her time at the practice courts, honing her skills. She beat opponent after opponent, pushing all thoughts of Dom out of her head.

She avoided him, Neal, and Yuki, and spent any unoccupied time as far away from them as possible. She jousted against Raoul quite often and helped him with third company's books and spent a great deal of time in the bathhouse, soaking her sore muscles.

Almost a week after Yuki and Lalasa had confronted her, Kel was down at the practice courts. It was dinnertime but Kel wasn't hungry so she stayed at the blissfully empty practice courts. She was working on a complicated practice dance when movement on the other side of the practice court broke Kel out of her trance.

Kel relaxed as she realized that it was just another knight. She didn't recognize him but he looked to be about thirty years old with light hair and deeply tanned skin. As he strode towards her, Kel appraised him, judging him to be about 6'3 and a little wider than herself.

He asked if she would spar with him and Kel readily agreed. She was running out of practice opponents and this new knight either didn't know she was female or didn't care.

Kel put down her glaive and retrieved her sword from the side of the courts. She did a few practice swings to adjust to the different weapon. As the knight warmed up, Kel did a short practice dance with the sword. She didn't need to warm up. She had been out there since about dawn and was flooded with adrenaline.

The two knights began to circle each other. Kel wanted him to attack first so she could get a feel of her opponent and she knew that she had the patience to force him to attack first. After a few moments, her opponent lunged, twisted his blade. She blocked but could feel her sword start to twist out of her grasp and grasped it tighter.

A few encounters such as that one later, and Kel knew that she was outmatched. They might have been equally skilled, but her opponent was stronger and knew a few tricks that she didn't. Plus, he had the advantage of being fresh while Kel was getting a bit lightheaded from the excursive and lack of food.

After a good, solid twenty minutes, Kel felt ready to give up. Her blade faltered and her opponent flipped it out of her hands. His blade was at her throat before she could even blink and her face split into a big grin. She didn't mind being defeated; in fact, it was the first time someone had bested her in many months.

As she began to congratulate him and ask his name, intense pain blossomed in her side. She looked down to see a sword sticking out of her side and she collapsed. She was vaguely aware of her opponent greeting someone behind her before he flicked his sword, slicing through her necklace. As he collected her charm of the ground he said, "It was a pleasure to meet you, Lady Knight," in Scanran.

The pain in her side was intense and she welcomed the darkness.


	5. Everyone Knows!

Thank you to all who reviewed this story. It makes me feel so good. School has been very busy lately but it should be slowing down soon and I hope to be able to update more frequently. Please keep reviewing!

Disclaimer- I don't own anything and I think that is obvious and disclaimers are stupid, but I am required to do it so here it is. Tortall and all of it's glorious characters belong to Tamora Pierce, who I am obviously not.

In the mess on the other side of the palace, Kel's friends were thinking about her.

Yuki had told Neal about her discussion with Kel the week before and they had discussed what to do about it. The couple was positive that Dom and Kel liked each other and belonged together. Neal was always complaining about how Dom talked about nothing but Kel. They also knew their best friends were too stubborn to admit it.

Neal had spent the past few days trying to make Dom realize how much he liked Kel. That hadn't gone anywhere. The two meatheads were both too proud to say Kel's name out loud so their conversations were vague and led nowhere.

Yuki and Neal had then decided to approach one of them at a time and since Kel was never anywhere to be found, Yuki and Neal decided to start with Dom.

At dinner that day, Dom was in a foul mood. He had had a bad week and his men were avoiding him, leaving him to spend an unsupportable amount of time with his cousin. They had been having some weird talks the last few days. What were they even about? Normally, Dom would turn to Kel for advice and for help mocking Meathead, but he hadn't seen her in days. He figured Kel was avoiding him and he didn't know why.

While Dom was thinking over the strange things that had happened the last couple days, Neal and Yuki came into the mess. Noticing that Dom was alone, they decided to confront him about Kel. As Neal went to get food, Yuki sat across from Dom. He didn't even notice she was there.

When Neal dropped the food on the tabled and sat down next to him, Dom finally looked up.

"Did those potatoes personally affront you or are you just revealing your feelings on all crops in general?" Neal asked, sarcastically as he watched his cousin mutilate his dinner.

Dom looked up, confused, before looking down at his plate. He dropped his fork with an abashed look on his face.

"Oh. I didn't realize. Lost in thought, you know," Dom replied, distractedly. He was praying to any god that would listen that his cousin would leave it alone. Of course, Neal couldn't just drop the subject.

"Thinking about Kel?" Neal asked, abruptly. Yuki kicked him under the table since whacking him with her shukusen would be too obvious.

Neal scowled as Dom looked up, surprised.

"What do you mean?" Dom asked, feigning ignorance. He knew he didn't have a Yamani mask like Kel but he didn't think his emotions were written on his face. Maybe Neal had just made a lucky guess and they could now move onto the next subject.

Yuki just looked at him with that blank expression on her face. He could almost feel her staring into him.

She just smiled and said, "Everyone can see you both like each other. I think the only ones denying it are the two of you."

That was probably the bluntest thing he had ever heard her say.

"It is alright that you like her, you know," Yuki continued. "I can't think of anyone who matters that would object." She then picked up her food and left leaving the two cousins stunned.

"I think you are rubbing off on her," Dom finally said, stunned. What happened to the meek, little Yamani who manipulated from the sidelines without revealing her true thoughts?

Neal interrupted his musings. "I think you are probably right, but you will never hear me admit it again. And she is right, too. Everyone knows that you like each other and if they have a problem with it, they would have said something to you already." Then, Neal picked up his food and followed his wife, leaving Dom to contemplate what they had said.

After a few minutes, Dom finally became aware of his surroundings again. He liked Kel as a friend and she was certainly fun to flirt with, but could he see himself courting her? He tried to list all the reasons about why they couldn't, but he only came up with one.

The men of the Own couldn't marry. Wait! Why was he already thinking of marriage? It was too fast. She was only about nineteen and had only been a knight for a year and a half. That was too soon to even be thinking of marriage. But he had known her for over five years and Neal and sent numerous letters about her and the things they got into. He probably knew her better than he knew his own men.

Dom decided that he was rushing things and that he should go talk to her. He stood up and headed over to the practice courts, where she seemed to live most days.

Yuki watched him go, her eyes crinkling in delight.

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When Dom got to the courts that the Own used, he thought they were deserted.

He was about to leave when he noticed something glinting over to the side. As he drew nearer, the dark bundle began to take shape. There was a towel, a water flask, and a staff. He also noticed Kel's glaive.

He knew that she wouldn't have just left her glaive out in the open like that. He waited for her to come back, thinking she had just gone to her room to fetch something.

A few moments later, his eyes finally adjusted to the change in light. He could see something in the middle of the courts. As he strained his eyes, Dom noticed that it was a body. Recognizing Kel's tunic, Dom picked up her water flask and walked over to her, thinking she had collapsed from exhaustion or heat.

As he grew nearer, he noticed that she wasn't moving and began to pick up the pace. When he got there, Kel was passed out, clutching her side. As he moved her hands, he felt something wet on his own and looked down. She was covered in blood. Her blood, from the looks of it.

Dom picked her up, not even thinking about it, and headed to the mess. He knew Neal would still be there and didn't trust the palace healers. The strongest healers were all out on the border.

It took him about three minutes to run to the mess that he had just left, but it was the longest three minutes of his life.

Dom burst through the doors, yelling for Neal. He didn't care about pretenses or reputations, all that mattered to him was saving Kel.

Neal looked up, surprised that Dom was back so soon, but wary. He was afraid that this was going to be another one of Dom's pranks. The moment he looked up, though, he knew Dom was serious.

Everyone was shocked to see Sergeant Domitan of Masbolle run in, carrying the Lady Knight. When they noticed the blood on his hands and her side, the men in the mess quieted down.

Neal finally managed to make his way over to his cousin, his legs unsteady. "What happened?" he asked, checking her over with his magic.

"I don't know," replied Dom, frantically. Every thought of his reputation was far from his mind. "I found her in the practice courts. I do believe, my dear Meathead, that she was stabbed."

Neal and Dom carried her to the infirmary, leaving a stunned room behind them. All of Dom's squad was in there along with most of third company. They all knew Kel from her years as squire to Lord Raoul and were worried about her.

Dom's company was more particularly worried. They knew Kel really well, having fought metal monsters with her and served in Haven under her command. They had also been on the rescue mission to Scanra.

Wolset gave a shaky grin to his friends saying,"She'll be alright. Nothing can defeat our lady there." Inside, though, Wolset was terrified. He had become close friends with Kel since the day she promoted him to corporal and he knew that his sergeant liked her. He had been taking bets on when and how the two of them would get together and it scared him to see her looking so pale.

Dom's squad finished eating, knowing that they would only crowd the infirmary, but they were all silent. Many of the men were offering up prayers to various gods for her safety.

The moment Neal and Dom made it to the infirmary, Neal started giving out orders. The mages scrambled to fulfill his wishes as Neal and Dom laid her on one of the cots. Neal then kicked his cousin out of the infirmary. He knew how stressful loved ones could be when they were worried. And Neal figured that he could be worried enough for both of them.

* * *

I hoped you liked it. I know there is not much action in this chapter but my brain doesn't seem to want to work at the moment. I hope there will be more action soon but I don't have a definite plan, just a vague outline.

Keep reviewing and I will keep updating. I am not going to threaten to not post a new chapter until I get a certain amount of reviews because I think that that is stupid and cruel. But I do know where authors who do that are coming from. Reviews make me feel all warm inside and whe I get alot of them, I usually start bouncing around. It definitely makes me want to update faster so be knid and send me a review. Flames are accepted just make sure that they are constructive. I don't mind if you think my story sucks as long as you tell me why.

Thats all for now and I will try to update this weekend. Thanks again for the reviews.


	6. Spineless Scanrans!

Okay, I am not sure how this one came out.. I tried to put some fluff into the end but it isn't one of my strong points. Thank you to all who reviewed. It makes me so happy. I think this is my longest chapter so far! yeah!

Disclaimer- I don't own anything. It all belongs to the oh so lovely Tamora Pierce

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Dom waited outside the ward for what felt like an eternity. Yuki arrived not long after, bringing Kel's parents who had been staying in their Corus house. Dom's squad showed up not long after, followed by Shinko, Raoul, Alanna, and Buri. It seemed as if the entire palace knew what was going on.

Eventually, a very pale and drained Neal emerged from the ward. If he was surprised by the large group waiting on Kel, he didn't show it.

He tried to smile at his audience. "She will be fine," he informed them, hugging his wife. "She is unconscious now but will be strong enough to want to leave within a few days and she will be able to go to her rooms within the next week."

Kel's parents hugged each other, relieved, as Buri patted Raoul's hand, saying, "I told you she would be fine. Kel is strong."

Alanna looked at her drained former squire sharply and asked, "What happened?"

Everyone stopped what they were doing to wait for his answer.

Neal looked at the ground and mumbled something incoherent.

"What was that?" Alanna demanded, annoyed that Neal was being so difficult.

"I said, she was stabbed," Neal replied, not quite meeting Alanna's eyes.

"That much was painfully obvious," Dom hissed, annoyed at Neal. What was he hiding? "I think your lovely former Knight-mistress wanted specifics. As do I."

"She was stabbed with a sword just below her heart. It broke a few ribs and barely missed the major arteries. I would say this happened maybe ten minutes before you got her to me. She woke up just as I began to work on her wounds so I had to give her some herbs and she will be out for some time," Neal said looking ashamed.

As Kel's friends began to talk about what happened, Alanna's loud voice could be heard over the noise. "What are you not saying?" she asked. He looked guilty and was avoiding actually looking at anybody.

Neal mumbled something else. By that time, Alanna was getting very annoyed. Her hope for future female knights lay in a cot in the infirmary, there was something suspicious about her injury, and her former squire, her only squire, was avoiding her questions.

Neal noticed Alanna's growing temper and finally told the whole story. "She was run through from behind," he admitted. "Probably while she was in the middle of a duel from the way her muscles contracted."

That silenced the room. It was a most dishonorable thing to attempt to kill someone during a sparring match unless it had been claimed. But for someone to attack her from behind during a spar, that was filthy.

"Cowards!!" Alanna finally managed to spit out. "Nasty, filthy, bloody Scanran cowards. They want revenge and can't even take her on properly. They know that she is good so one distracts her while the other stabs her." Alanna spit on the ground. "I warned Jon that something like this would happen but all he did was order her back to Corus. They can still get in to the castle, apparently. Mithros! She…"

Alanna trailed off, apparently too angry to speak properly. Nobody spoke while trying to process what had happened.

"So you think that Scanrans have to be responsible for the attack? I mean, Kel has made a good deal of enemies. She has angered several nobles by trying to protect commoners and she is responsible for the fact that young ladies now learn self defense. Plus, there are plenty of conservatives who still don't like her and people who blame her for Joren's death and that other squire's arrest. Scanra isn't the only one who would want revenge," replied Raoul, mostly to himself.

Buri wrapped her arms around him as she added,"And Joren's father did threaten her after Joren's death. I think you are jumping to conclusions, Alanna. We can ask Kel when she wakes up, though." She looked to Neal for confirmation.

Neal nodded. "Kel's family can go see her tonight and she should wake up tomorrow. The rest of you can see her then."

Alanna knew that it had to be the Scanrans, no matter what others might believe. They were the only people who she could see stabbing someone in the back. She headed to find Jon and share her thoughts.

Raoul saw Alanna leave and decided to let her be. He recognized the look on her face and didn't want to be on the receiving end of her temper. He went to talk to Neal and the young knight let him in to see Kel. While Dom interrogated his cousin, Raoul, Buri, and Kel's parents went over to Kel's cot.

She looked so pale and weak. He was taken aback by how young and defenseless she looked. He hadn't seen Kel look relaxed in too long. She had been tense and worried for months, since her Ordeal and command of Haven.

Dom had plied her with alcohol at his wedding to get her to relax and Raoul began to think he had over reacted. Maybe Dom was right, Kel needed to loosen up and apparently she couldn't do it when conscious.

Raoul and Buri left after two bells had rung and Kel's parents left a few bells later. It was now the middle of the night and Kel's parents had to return to their house in town. Dom came to check in on Kel and Neal, who was monitoring her, not long after Ilane and Piers left.

Neal let him in and Dom convinced him to rest while he watched Kel. After Neal finally agreed, he went to the office to sleep and Dom sat down next Kel. As Dom watched her sleep, he was truly scared, for the first time since the attack. There had never been any doubt in his mind that Kel would survive. She was so strong and a fighter and he knew she wouldn't die easily, but it was hard to equate that Kel with the defenseless girl lying on the ward. Kel looked vulnerable and Dom was worried about her.

Kel woke up not long after sunrise. Dom had fallen asleep with her hand clutched in his. She reveled in how it felt to hold his hand. He looked so peaceful asleep, hair flopping into his face. She must have moved because Dom jerked awake.

He saw she was up, and instantly felt better. Some of his relief must have shown on his face because Kel grew alarmed.

"How long was I out?" she tried to croak. Dom fetched her some water and she downed several glasses consecutively.

Dom took it out of her hands and put it down on the ground when she finished.

"Not long," he assured her. "We brought you in during dinner last night. Neal thought you would be out until noon, but you know Meathead, he exaggerates everything."

Kel tried to smile at this but it looked more like a grimace. She started to check her wounds and asked, "What happened?"

"We were hoping that you could tell us," answered Neal from the doorway, half awake. "I can explain all of the medical stuff but there are a lot of people who want to know how and why you were attacked."

Kel filled them in on what she could remember. When she got to the part about the Scanran cutting off her necklace, her hands went up to her neck. She didn't have her chain.

"Why did he cut off your necklace?" Neal wondered voicing Dom's question as well. "I assume it was your pregnancy charm from when you and Cleon were together, but why was that important?"

Dom felt himself grow annoyed and a bit jealous. He remembered that Cleon fellow and he didn't want to think about that knight bedding Kel.

Kel turned red and looked at Dom, who wasn't looking at her. "I wasn't a pregnancy charm. I lost that ages ago. It was a gift from Tobe, Loesia, Gydo, and Meech, before I left for Raoul's wedding last year. They had gotten one of the refugees to make me a necklace after I told them the story of the waving cat. It was a blue stone figurine of a Yamani waving cat. I never take it off."

Neal thought about what she had said.

"Why do you think they took her necklace?" Dom asked his cousin who was lost in his thoughts. He had to ask again before he got Neal's attention.

"Proof," Neal answered simply. "If they were ordered to kill her by Scanrans, then they would need some proof that they actually did. If someone noticed the chain around her neck, they might have thought that her necklace would be adequate proof."

"But Kel said that they were Scanran."

"Yes, but these were probably common bandits. They would have been hired because they could fight and/or had no qualms about stabbing someone in the back during a sparring match. I am guessing that they might have been part of the band that destroyed Bearsford last month."

Kel's parents returned not long after and she found herself enveloped in two suffocating hugs. Dom and Neal left to give her some time with her parents and the many others who arrived later. Kel had to tell her story several times, and make promises to six different people that she wouldn't try to move around before Neal said she could, before they would let it be.

Neal told Dom to go back to his room and get some rest since he had been up with Kel all night. Dom ignored him and stayed right by Kel's side, which was observed with interest by several people. Raoul had to order and threaten him before Dom finally relented and went to his rooms.

People came and went all day. Mages looked her over, friends came to see how she was doing, random people came for a chance to gawk at her, and Dom's squad played to tricks on Neal to try and make her feel better.

No matter what anyone did, Kel was still irritable. Her side hurt and she was tired of being treated like an invalid. She hated being stuck in bed and she really hated all of the sympathetic looks she was getting. People finally began leaving for dinner and Kel was happy to be alone.

Neal brought Kel some more medicine before going to dinner with his wife, leaving a mage in the office. He gave the young girl direct orders to get him if something else happened.

Not long after Neal left, the door to the infirmary opened again. Kel looked over, annoyed at being interrupted again. Dom saw her scowl and gave her his most charming smile. Kel couldn't help but grin back. Her smile grew when she noticed that he had food. Neal was taking his revenge for being made to eat vegetables by mixing some of his vile concoctions into her food. She could hardly stomach looking at her meals much less actually eating them.

Dom set the food down and Kel dived in. Dom laughed before joining her. They ate and talked about unimportant things, just happy to be together. Dom looked at her and stopped laughing. Kel was instantly self-conscious. She knew she liked Dom and only denied it to her friends, but she didn't think he liked her and she didn't know why he was staring.

As she went to move her hair out of her face, Dom leaned over and kissed her. It was soft and sweet and over too soon. Kel just sat there looking at him. Part of her thought she had imagined it, but in the rational part of her mind, she knew she hadn't. She could still feel his lips on hers. Kel smiled and Dom leaned over to kiss her again.

The first few times Cleon had kissed her, Kel had felt guilty, like she was doing something wrong. It wasn't that way with Dom. Kel was content to kiss him for as long as possible in the middle of the well-lit room.

After what could have been almost any amount of time, they broke apart. Dom still held onto her hand, though. Kel's breath was coming in shallow bursts but she didn't think that it was because of her injury. Dom was looking at her in a way that made her want to melt.

Dom moved a lock of hair out of her face and ran a finger along the contours of her face. Her cheeks were flushed and she was biting her lower lip and she had never looked more beautiful to him. He kissed her again and Kel wrapped her arms around him. When they broke apart, Dom was lying on top of her, half on the bed and half off.

He had been worried about what to say to her and what would happen, but he knew that he no longer needed to. They understood each other and he didn't want to move.

Kel started to feel tired as the tea Neal had given her before she left began to set in. She was nodding off with Dom's arms around her and her head on his shoulder when they heard a commotion in the hall.

"Now, doesn't this look cozy!"

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Review! Review! Review! Pretty please?

I wil try and update within the next couple of days.


	7. Staying the Night

Thank you to all of those who reviewed. It makes me feel so happy. I am sorry that it took so long for me to update. School is kicking my butt and I fell behind in Chemistry. I am slowly making everything up and I hope to update again soon. To apologize, this chapter is pretty long, being 2,377 words long. It is my longest chapter and even conatins a bit of fluff. There isn't much sctions, but there will be in the next chapter or so.

Disclaimer- I am not Tamora Pierce and I don't own anything.

"Now, doesn't this look cozy!" remarked Alanna, observing the two lying on Kel's bed.

They sprang apart, startled at the Lady Knight's interruption. Kel flushed, wide awake again, knowing what it must look like. Dom got up slowly to look at Alanna, grabbing onto Kel's hand. He looked down at the floor before he finally caught Alanna's eye.

Alanna gave the couple a knowing smile as she walked over to the bed, causing Kel to blush even more. Her Yamani mask always seemed to fail her around her idol, much to her chagrin.

Alanna kicked the sergeant out of the room before returning her attention to the young knight.

"Well, I'm not going to give you a lecture about getting involved with other soldiers because I know that Raoul already talked to you about it and if you didn't listen to your knight master you probably aren't going to listen to me."

Kel looked down, embarrassed. She did remember when Raoul had talked to her about it when she was his squire and she was ashamed to be caught by Alanna. She just laid there for a moment, unable to think of anything to say.

Alanna noticed her discomfort and slightly enjoyed watching the young woman squirm. And Raoul thought she was immune to embarrassment. Alanna finally decided to take put the girl out of her misery.

"Don't worry," Alanna murmured, slyly, "your secret is safe with me." From the look on Alanna's face, Kel knew that she would be barraged with questions the next.

Changing the topic, Alanna inquired about her wounds. She gave Kel a thorough inspection with her magic and forced Kel to repeat the tale of her duel. Each time she told the story, it became less painful to do so, even if she got angrier.

Alanna looked furious, but she remained silent, which Kel thanked the gods for. She had heard that Alanna was tearing people's heads off for nothing all day, and she had feared that she was the next victim.

Alanna left when Neal's tea began to take affect again. She spoke to the mage who was watching the Lady Knight and warned her that if anything happened to Kel under her watch, she would personally make her pay. She then left, leaving a very scared and nervous mage.

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The days slid by infuriatingly slow for Kel. People were still gawking at her any chance they could and her friends were still suffocating her. The only good part of the entire experience was Dom. It had been three days since Alanna had interrupted them, and Dom rarely left her side. She could always count on his support and a sympathetic ear, if she ever decided to complain.

Alanna came to see her once again while she was in the infirmary. It had been for days since she had been admitted and she was slowly going insane. Neal was at dinner and Dom had gone to get them some food. When he arrived, Dom found Alanna giving Kel one last checkup. When she finished, she declared Kel fit and said that she could go home the next day as long as she didn't practice with a weapon for at least three more days.

Kel was depressed at that restriction, but she was happy to finally be able to leave the gods- cursed infirmary.

Dom left a few hours later to try and get some sleep. Raoul wanted to see him the next morning, and he wanted to be fully awake. He left just as Neal and Yuki entered and his cousin's bride gave him a knowing look that had him blushing.

He and Kel had kissed a few times since Alanna had interrupted them, well more than a few, and sometimes those kisses got out of hand. Things were escalating fast between them and he was starting to think that he was in love with Kel. Not that anyone knew, he tried to convince himself.

He spent the walk back to his rooms trying to convince himself that nobody knew what was going on. Kel had told Dom what had happened during her meeting with Alanna. They had been expecting to be assaulted by friends wondering what was going on but it never came.

Dom wondered if maybe she hadn't said anything but Yuki's look and the meeting he had scheduled with Raoul tomorrow made him worry.

While Dom tossed and turned, worrying about what was to come, Kel slept perfectly. She was finally relaxing after the Scanran attempt to kill her and she couldn't wait to return to her own rooms. She knew that Lalasa was worried about her and couldn't wait to go see her at the shop.

One of the men from Dom's squad, Wolset, had gone to invite Lalasa to come see Kel a few days before. Lalasa had refused, which Kel had expected, claiming that the company would be too grand for her. Kel couldn't wait to see her friend and reassure her that she was well.

Yuki also slept peacefully, knowing that Kel and Dom were together. In the end, it wasn't any of their friends, but enemies, that had brought Kel and Dom together. She felt that it was fitting.

The next morning, Kel was released with strict instructions not to do anything strenuous for at least three days. Knowing Kel, Neal had carefully marked out what he felt was too strenuous and told Kel. He left her no escape through a loophole, though Kel was still trying to figure one out.

When he tried to go overboard with his restrictions, Alanna held him in check. Neal must have been taking his headache relieving tea constantly because he was forever being hit by the women in his life.

Dom came and saw Kel in her rooms right after she was released. He talked to her about his upcoming meeting with his commander and his concerns. His meeting wasn't until right before lunch since Raoul liked to sleep as late as possible when he could, so he and Kel made plans to meet for lunch.

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Raoul was waiting for him when Dom got to his rooms. He knocked before Raoul called him in. Things had gotten more formally with Raoul after one of his men had barged in on Buri changing. It took several people to talk Raoul down from killing the soldier and no one wanted to repeat the experience. So now, everyone knocked.

Raoul asked Dom to sit, giving away none of his thoughts. He had picked up a few tricks from Kel on how to control his face, and Dom was left completely in the dark. Raoul just stared at Dom for a few minutes, thinking.

Alanna had told him about Kel and Dom a few days earlier, laughing at his mental distress. It took Buri a while to convince him not to go charging in there to castrate Dom. He knew he was being overprotective, but he felt he had to. All of her siblings were married and far away from her and she hardly ever had contact with her parents. Piers and Ilane were forever traveling between Corus, Mindelan, the Yamani Islands, and their other children's estates.

He had watched her and Cleon court and had never felt that the big knight was worthy of her. When he got engaged, Raoul felt like killing the knight for hurting Kel, even if she didn't show it. In the beginning of Kel's time as a squire for him, Raoul had thought that she liked Neal but that never led anywhere.

He knew that she was always flirting with Dom, but he hadn't expected anything to come from it. He had stopped believing that Kel would ever fall in love and had let his guard down, and it had kicked him in the ass. He was completely shocked by Alanna's report and had made her repeat it before he decided to kill Dom. He had calmed down and now thought of them as a perfect match, but he didn't know Dom's intentions. If she was just another of Dom's flings, he was going to torture the young sergeant so badly that he would pray for death.

He told as much to Dom, who turned white at the thought, but didn't back down. He explained to Raoul that he truly cared for Kel and wasn't planning on hurting her. By the time he was done, Raoul was satisfied that Kel would be cared for and turned his thoughts to the law.

He knew that Dom loved Kel by the way he spoke about her, even if he didn't and wanted to set them up. Since he got married, he wanted everyone else to get married to. It made perfect sense to him. The only problem was that the men of the Own couldn't get married and Raoul couldn't figure how to get around that.

Jon would never agree to change the rule for one person, and Kel would flay him alive if she found out. Even when he retired from the position of Commander of the Own, he wouldn't be able to appoint Dom to his position. He had to appoint a head of a company of the Own and he also knew that Flyndan was his expected replacement.

He didn't want to hurt his friend and he knew that others would have a problem with obeying Dom because of how young he was. He thought about the young couple's problem, never thinking that they might not want to get married yet, until Buri came in and dragged him away from his thoughts.

Dom's head was reeling from his talk with Raoul as he went to meet Kel for lunch. He told her what had happened after lunch, when they could finally be alone. They didn't talk about it much after he told her the basics. Neither of them wanted to think about other people's reactions to their relationship because they didn't even know what their relationship was.

* * *

Kel was feeling antsy, stuck inside the palace. Even though everyone knew the attack on Kel had been planned by Scanran's and that she was still a target, no one had thought to forbid her from leaving the palace grounds. Dom and Kel saddled their horses and went for a ride through the woods. They alternately raced and talked, staying out until past sunset. When they finally realized how dark it had gotten, Kel challenged Dom to a race back to the stables.

Kel took off before Dom could respond and gained a pretty good lead by the time he came to his senses and took off after her. Anytime he started to catch up to her, Hoshi would get an extra burst of speed and leave him in her dust.

They made it back to the palace in record time, with Kel narrowly beating Dom. They were both laughing as they realized that they were being stared at. Kel immediately shut up and slid off her horse. One of the hostlers took Hoshi's reigns from her before she could comprehend what was happening. As she started to protest, Yuki came up and hit her with her fan, eyes flashing.

She ranted about absolute nonsense in Yamani as Kel started to notice her other friends. Somebody must have told Raoul that she had arrived because he ran over to her, followed by his wife, Neal, and Shinko.

Kel realized what they must have thought when she had left, and felt guilty. They had noticed that Peachblossom was still in his stall and had thought that Hoshi was still getting her shoes shod. She was grilled by Raoul and Neal before she finally managed to convince them that she was fine.

Dom stood just outside of the group crowding Kel, grinning at their antics. Kel noticed and scowled at him, drawing everyone's attention to him as well. Raoul was harsher on him than Kel, claiming that he encouraged Kel, even though he knew it was just her nature. They finally managed to escape from all of the well-meaning friends when Neal noticed that Kel looked a little weak. He ordered them to get something to eat and Raoul backed him up.

Dom and Kel went to scrounge something from the kitchens since they had missed dinner. After eating, Dom walked Kel back to her rooms. He checked up and down the hallway before kissing Kel goodnight. As he turned to leave, Kel grabbed his sleeve and pulled him back to her.

She kissed him again, harder than before, and Dom responded. He backed her up to the door and kissed her feverously, before coming to his senses and remembering that they were in the hallway. He opened the door and backed Kel into the room. She threw her arms around his neck immediately, kissing him back.

Kissing him was nothing like kissing Cleon. Kel couldn't help but compare them in her mind as Dom started tugging on her tunic. Cleon and she had fumbled around clumsily, never actually getting anywhere.

Dom, on the other hand, was a pro and she pushed the thought of all of his previous women out of her head. He expertly removed her tunic, shirt, and breast band as she fumbled with the lacings on his shirt. He helped her remove it and his leggings before leading her to the bed.

Dom removed her leggings as she tried not to think about what she was doing. She was glad that her mother had told her to get an anti-pregnancy charm for times like this. She thought that she couldn't possibly be in love with Dom, although she felt like she was, and Kel was content to just give in to her lust.

When they were both naked, Dom kissed her again, moving from her lips to her neck, and down her torso. She shivered, feeling good, and finally just stopped thinking. She was glad that she had never slept with Cleon and hoped that Dom wouldn't decide to leave her after he finally bedded her. She pushed that thought out of her head as Dom began exploring her body with his hands. She knew he would never so mean.

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I hope you liked it. If not, tell me why and if you did. tell me why as well. I love getting reviews and I will try to update by Wednesday at the latest, unless I get overloaded with schoolwork. Wish me luck. Thank you to

Lady Knight Joycelyn- Thank you. I love compliments. They make me feel wonderful.

BrokenFaerie16- I will try to update sooner. My schedule is kind of eratic but I will try to update constantly.

Olive-Whisperer- Sorry it wan't a Scanran but that would have ruined the whole plot. I kinda like Alanna being the first to figure it out. It seemed fitting somehow.

dares to dream- Thank you. I wrote the chapter where it was cut off without knowing exactly why I wanted it to be cut off, but I think it worked out well.

addicted2TPierce- I am sorry that you hate cliffhangers, but how else am I going to get reviews?! *smiles* I am kidding.

sarabistarfire- I am glad you didn't find it too sappy. I seem to either make things to sentimental or too mechanical so I am trying for a happy medium.

Simplice- I am glad you liked my last chapter. Was it the cliffhanger or the fluff that made it your favorite?

soccachix101- Now you know who it was. Thank you for bugging me all weekend to write this chapter. (She is my older sister for those who don't know. Which is probably everybody.)

Please review again!


	8. The Morning After

Not much action in this chapter. Thank you to everyone who reviewed. I reread my last chapter and realized that I did rush it quite a bit. Sorry.

Hopefully this chapter is better. Tell me what you think.

I am worried that Kel might be a little OOC in this chapter, but let me know what you think. I just figured that she might not be so lump-like after spending the last 9 years in Tortall.

Disclaimer- Tamora Pierce owns it all.

Kel slept late the next morning, exhausted. When she finally woke, the sun was fully up and glaring in her eyes. She looked around, expecting to find her animals begging for food. She noticed that Jump and the sparrows had been fed and watered and smiled. She looked for Dom to thank him.

He wasn't there. She didn't hear him in the privy and didn't see him in her room. It took Kel a few moments to squash the panic building inside her. She couldn't believe that Dom had left her. She knew that he didn't have anything to do that morning and she could only come up with one reason why he wasn't there, and it just made her feel worse.

She wondered if maybe she was just a fling to him. Her fears from the night before came back, stronger than ever. She knew that Dom had always been a flirt and had a reputation for being a heartbreaker, but she thought it was different. A logical part of her mind told her that she loved Dom and that he really loved her, but it wasn't enough to overcome her tears.

She opened the window, hoping the breeze would calm her, but she just felt worse. She collapsed on the sill, crying. She cried often during her monthlies, but this was worse, and she cried as hard as she could. She had suppressed her feelings for Dom for five years and now it felt like a dam had broken.

She heard the door open and turned, expecting to have to face Lalasa or Yuki, or worse, Neal. When she saw Dom standing there, she launched herself into his arms, forcing him to drop the tray he was carrying to grab her.

He let her sob into his shoulder, wondering what was going on. He had never seen her cry and was confused as to what had caused this. Kel began calming down and started muttering into his shoulder.

"What was that?" Dom asked, perplexed. He was curious as to why she had started crying.

"I said," Kel answered, not meeting his eyes, "That I am silly. I jumped to conclusions."

Dom held her out at arm's length and looked at her. Her eyes were red and her face was smudged. She had been letting her hair grow out a bit and it now stuck up at odd angles. He kissed her forehead lightly and hugged her again.

When her breathing settled again, Dom pulled back.

"What in Mithros' name set that little episode off," Dom asked with all of his cousin's tactfulness. He immediately backtracked. "I mean, are you okay? I have never seen you cry and you worried me. Is everything okay?" Dom babbled, worried.

"I am fine," Kel replied wiping her eyes. She felt really silly for overreacting. She looked down and saw food everywhere and two broken plates. She realized that he had gone to get food for them and blushed at her silliness. She felt like a convent lady.

Dom noticed her blush and was intrigued. He didn't know what was going on but he was determined to find out. Stepping around the broken plates and Jump who was cleaning it all up for him, Dom dragged Kel over to the bed. He sat down and dragged Kel with him, wrapping his arms around her torso. He tucked her head under his chest and thought about how to go about this.

Kel knew Dom was going to ask her what that was all about again and she couldn't blame him. It was completely out of character for her and she was puzzled by her reaction as well. All she could figure was that she was nearing her monthlies. She gathered her emotions up and tried to pull her Yamani mask up because she didn't think she could brush off Dom's inquiry again.

Dom shifted Kel off of his lap and turned to look at him, drawing his legs up. Kel looked at him and waited. She knew what was coming.

"Are you sure you are okay?" Dom asked one more time. When she nodded he drew a deep breath and released. "Then what was that all about. I know you Kel. You don't cry. Ever. No amount of physical pain had ever drawn a whimper out of you and I don't think anything emotional had either. So, what was that all about? I was thinking that you were angry at me, but from the way you threw yourself at me…"

Dom trailed off as Kel whacked him on his arm. He grinned and said. "You have been spending too much time around my dear cousin and his oh so lovely, helpless, little wife." He dodged her next punch and then decided that maybe she had been spending too much time with Alanna.

She grinned back, hoping the topic had been dropped for then. Dom must have noticed her look because he continued talking about some of the stupid things they had done as boys running around their estates and Corus.

Kel grinned, listening to one of his stories about chasing Neal into one of the mage's rooms and nearly burst out laughing when he told her a different story about hiding in a filled horse trough a few years later. As they talked, Dom leaned back, pulling her down with him. As she lay next to him, Kel felt her mind wonder. She realized that she liked Dom more than she thought and wondered how to tell him.

He looked at her and she smiled back, shyly. He had noticed when she drifted off into a dream world and wondered what she was thinking about.

He didn't have to wait long.

"Don't leave me, okay?" Kel asked, abruptly. Dom opened his eyes in surprise, wondering where that came from and what Kel was getting at. "I woke up this morning, and I noticed that you weren't here. I immediately started freaking out, wondering why you had left. I felt like I was turning into Neal." Kel gave a sarcastic little smile.

"I think I may love you, Dom and when I thought you had left me, I was heartbroken." When he didn't respond, Kel went on, getting nervous. "I was afraid that I was just another fling to you."

Dom finally processed her admission and broke out in a huge smile. "I think I may love you, too."

Kel smiled back, breathing again. She remembered telling Lalasa that it was stupid that Neal never told any of his crushes how he felt. Lalasa asked her why she didn't tell Neal that she liked him, and Kel was instantly reminded of that moment. She was glad that she had told Dom the truth.

Although they were both hungry, they stayed in bed and talked. Dom had returned to the barracks to take a shower before he went to get them food and had been swarmed by his men. They wanted to know who the lucky lady was and he had fended them off to get changed.

Kel laughed over some of their remarks, lying on Dom's chest. She was content and wasn't even embarrassed when she noticed the tub set up in her bathroom. A servant must have brought it in when she was still asleep. She didn't know if it was before or after Dom left but it didn't matter. Her clothes were strewn all around the room and the maid had to have known what had happened the night before.

Kel blushed a little as she bathed in the cool water, listening to Dom explore her room. She knew she had lost any scrap of reputation years ago so it shouldn't matter if people knew she was sleeping with Dom. She pushed down her emotions and finished washing up.

* * *

When Dom and Kel entered the mess, it didn't go silent. No one stared. They weren't besieged by questions and threats from well-meaning friends. It looked like the maid had kept her mouth closed and Kel breathed an inaudible sigh of relief.

After they ate, Dom left to go do 'Own stuff', as he told Kel. He knew the guys on his squad were going to give him grief for not coming in the night before and didn't want Kel to hear all of their crude remarks. He caught up with the men at the courts and began stretching. He was, once again, besieged by questions and answered them as vaguely as he could. By the end of the day, they had moved on to a new subject and Dom breathed a sigh of relief.

Kel wandered around the palace, talking to people and doing the errands that had piled up while she was injured. Kel met with Neal in the infirmary for another check-up. He didn't seem to know about anything going on between his cousin and his best friend. She didn't know that he and Yuki had tried to set them up but he still wouldn't have been happy to learn that they were sleeping together.

Neal had one of the other mages make Kel a tea that he promised would make her better faster. He knew that she wanted to begin training again and played off of that to get Kel to promise to drink the tea every night.

She smelled the bitter tea and grimaced up at Neal.

"You are just trying to get back at me for making you eat your vegetables," She grumbled, god-naturedly.

"That thought never even crossed my mind," Neal replied, grinning. "But now that you mention it, it is the same principle. Drink it, even if you don't want to, because it will make you better for it. Isn't that what you always told me?"

Kel narrowed her eyes at him in return but she couldn't deny the truth of what he had said. She left to go find Dom just as Yuki walked in. Her Yamani friend turned right around and walked with Kel.

When she raised an eyebrow at Yuki, her eyes crinkled. "I wanted to talk to you. And I should stop visiting him so often, anyways. I don't need to make his ego even larger."

Kel snickered at her friend's statement. Her emotions were seeping through her mask more than she liked recently, but she didn't mind as much as she thought she would.

Kel let them both into her room. She was glad that she had picked up her rooms earlier. He rooms were always so neat and she knew that Yuki would notice her clothes strewn everywhere and would probably come up with an accurate explanation for what had happened the night before.

"What did you want to talk about," Kel asked, playing dumb. She had a slight suspicion that she knew what Yuki wanted but she didn't want to encourage her.

* * *

I hope you liked it. Remember, please review. Thanks in advance.


	9. Poison?

Thank you to all that reviewed. I am just wondering, though. Why do I have almost 2,500 hits but only 42 reviews. Please review! Once again, sorry that Kel was so OOC last chapter.

Hopefully this one has more action in it.

I am not Tamora Pierce and I don't own anything except the plot.

"What did you want to talk about," Kel asked, playing dumb. She had a slight suspicion that she knew what Yuki wanted but she didn't want to encourage her.

"What is going on between you and Dom?" Yuki asked bluntly. When Kel pulled on her Yamani mask and denied knowing what she was talking about, Yuki continued.

"I am not blind, you know. Something has changed between you and him since Lalasa and I talked to you about it. What happened?"

Kel was thrown off guard by Yuki's statement. Her friend had always been quietly calculating. She was a joy to be around but she was still a Yamani through and through.

Maybe Neal really was rubbing off on her. She couldn't come up with an appropriate lie and realized that she didn't want to.

Kel made Yuki promise not to tell anybody, especially not Neal. When she promised, Kel relaxed. She knew Yuki would never break a promise.

By the time Kel got through with her story, Yuki was grinning.

"You are in love, Keli," Yuki said simply, using her nickname for Kel from when they were younger.

Kel actually laughed at that. "No, I'm not. It's just lust, pure and simple. I haven't been with him long enough to fall in love with him."

"Who are you trying to convince?" Yuki asked.

Kel looked up startled. "I know this," she replied. "I was just telling you so that you wouldn't expect anything to come out of it. I spent so long working for my shield and I am not ready to settle down yet. Besides, Dom can't get married and remain in the Own."

Yuki stood up and nodded to Kel. "Anything that you say. I'm just wondering, though, Why are you thinking about marriage if it is just simple lust."

With that, she walked out of Kel's rooms, shutting the door behind her, leaving Kel to her thoughts.

Why was she thinking about marriage? They had been through a lot together, and had known each other for 5 years, but there was so much that she still didn't know about him. How could she be in love with him?

Kel spent the rest of the afternoon sitting in her rooms, thinking. She would randomly pace or change rooms, but she couldn't shut off her brain. Now she knew how Neal felt.

"I missed you at dinner," Dom said, letting himself into her rooms. "Yuki said that you would probably still be in here. What are you thinking about that is so important that you would miss dinner?"

Kel smiled and shook her head, grabbing the food Dom had brought for her. They sat in a companionable silence; Kel eating and Dom watching her eat.

"What?" she asked when she noticed him staring at her.

"Nothing. I was just awed by your beauty."

Kel laughed at his comment."The Players definitely lost what could be their greatest actors when you and Neal decided to fight for Tortall."

Dom winked at her. "Whatever you say."

Kel decided to let his remark go. They spoke of unserious matters for the rest of the time he was there. It was late when he stood up to leave. She grabbed his arm and pulled him back to her.

"Don't go," she whispered. "Stay with me again tonight."

She expected a joking comment about leaving his men alone too much, but Dom just grinned and kissed. She led him over to the bed and followed him down.

* * *

She was drifting off to sleep shortly after the midnight bell when she remembered the tea Neal had one of the mages make for her. She stood up, telling Dom that she would be right back, and went to make the tea.

She crawled back into his arms twenty minutes later and promptly went to sleep.

Dom woke a few hours later to something scratching his face painfully. When he opened his eyes, he saw Kel's sparrows. Half of the flock seemed to be attacking him, at least. When he sat up, they cleared off of him.

"What in Mithros's name?" Dom was cut short by Jump's bark. He rolled over and saw Kel convulsing next to him. Dom was awake instantly. He tried to wake her before checking her pulse.

He picked her up, noticing that she thankfully still had on his tunic and strode out of Kel's room as fast as his half-awake legs could go.

He ran to Neal's rooms, silently cursing every god he could think of. He was terrified for Kel and couldn't help but blame himself.

Yuki opened the door silently. She noticed Kel and paled, running back inside to get her husband.

Neal came to the door, bleary eyed and annoyed at being woken before dawn, especially by his cousin. He saw Kel convulsing and woke up fully. He didn't even notice that she was wearing Dom's tunic.

They carried Kel to the infirmary with a growing sense of déjà vu.

Neal began barking out orders, jerking the mage on duty awake. As Neal and the mage checked on Kel, Dom snuck out of the infirmary.

He was surprised that Meathead hadn't made some sarcastic observation about Kel wearing Dom's tunic, but he figured it was just a matter of time.

Dom returned to the barracks to change.

He knew that there would be a huge crowd around Kel the moment that news got out that she was in the infirmary again and he didn't need to give them more proof about his and Kel's relationship than they would already have.

Dom snuck in and out of the Own's barracks unnoticed and decided what to do next. His heart told him to return to Kel's side but he knew he would be in the way.

His head told him to return to his bed and sleep so that he could learn of Kel's condition with everyone else, but he didn't want to do that either. He knew what people would say when gossip leaked about Dom bringing Kel to the infirmary in the middle of the night and he knew he should be worried about it, but he wasn't/

He no longer cared if people knew they were sleeping together. He had been worried about ruining both of their reputations all day but that seemed childish now.

His gut told him to go to Raoul and that is what he did. He felt that the Knight Commander should know where Kel was.

Raoul answered his door not long after Dom knocked, expecting to be called to duty. Instead he saw his sergeant standing there looking sheepish.

He mumbled something and Raoul strained to hear what he said, still half asleep.

"What was that?" Raoul asked growing annoyed. "Why are you waking me up before dawn if we don't have a mission?"

Dom had thought going to Raoul would be the right thing to do, but all he could think about once he was there was that Raoul was going to kill when he put two and two together.

Raoul grew frustrated and began to shut the door when Dom blurted out,"Kel is in the infirmary again. I think she was poisoned. I thought you might want to know."

Raoul swore as he ran back into his rooms to change. Buri had heard the announcement and was already getting dressed. Buri promised to go get Alanna as Raoul and Dom hurried back to the infirmary.

About half-way there, Raoul stopped suddenly and turned on Dom.

"You slept with Kel?! Already?!" Raoul was outraged. His slow brain had just made the connection between Kel being taken to the infirmary at night and Dom being the one to tell him.

Dom looked down sheepishly. "Yes," he admitted. "But could you not skin me alive yet. Kel is still sick, no matter how I am involved."

Raoul glowered at his sergeant before turning and continuing to run to the infirmary.

When they arrived, they were denied admittance to see Kel.

"What?" roared Raoul. "I must have heard wrong."

The young mage, just out of school, quietly repeated himself. He was shaking in fear of the knight but the senior mage had ordered him to keep out any visitors.

Dom was outraged as well but he knew Neal was right. He pulled his Knight Commander away from the cowering mage and they waited in the hallway.

Alanna and Buri showed up, Alanna cursing colorfully the entire way.

Yuki arrived and told them that she had sent a messenger to go get Kel's parents. She asked if there was any news yet and grew quiet when they told her that there wasn't.

Buri noticed that her husband looked like he wanted to punch something so she tried to take the attention off of the lack of news.

"What happened, Dom?" Buri asked, drawing everyone's attention.

Alanna knew that Dom and Kel were involved and she immediately jerked to attention. She could guess why he had been the one to sound the alarm.

"Without graphic details, please," Raoul muttered, turning red.

Alanna grinned at her big friend, wondering how much he knew.

Dom told them about the day before, keeping the story PG.

"We could get Daine to ask the animals what they saw," Alanna interjected when Dom finished his shortened version.

Raoul immediately discounted the idea. He didn't think they saw anything except that Kel was in trouble.

"I actually don't think there was anything to see," replied Dom. "She wasn't bleeding or physically hurt. She was just convulsing and wouldn't wake up."

Dom had an idea and immediately sprinted to Kel's rooms leaving behind four puzzled adults.

He came back about four minutes later carrying the bag of leaves that he had seen Kel make her tea from earlier that night. He handed it to Alanna.

"Could it be poisoned?" Dom asked, not even breathing hard from his run. "Neal gave her that to help her heal faster and it was the only thing she ate that I didn't have any of."

"When did she drink it?" Alanna asked. She inspected it with her magic.

"Maybe two or three hours ago," Dom admitted sheepishly.

Raoul grew redder and began to mutter to himself. He didn't even want to think about what Kel and Dom were doing past midnight.

Alanna ignored Raoul. "The time frame would fit," she agreed.

She hissed under her breath and quickly redrew her hand.

"That is seriously poisoned. I was expecting a natural poison or something that wouldn't raise suspicion, but this is a powerful spell."

"Between her lessons, her time as my squire, and Neal, Kel knows most herbs by taste. They would have had a hard time getting her to drink something poisonous without her knowledge," Raoul said. No one could miss the pride that filled his voice.

* * *

Alanna stalked over to the infirmary and growled at the mage when he tried to keep her from entering the ward.

She physically moved him out of the way and threw the doors open with her magic.

Neal didn't even notice all of the commotion going on outside. He was too focused on his friend. He had given her a physical inspection and ruled out physical violence.

Neal suspected poison but couldn't find any in her system. He used his magic to search her entire system, finding no trace of any herbs except those in the tea he had given her.

Neal began to run out of ideas when Alanna forced her way in to the ward. He didn't notice her until she was right next to him.

He felt her magic fill Kel and was astonished as she went into Kel's head. He didn't know of any poison that would affect her brain.

He started to voice his opinion when Alanna shoved the tea at him.

"Somebody spelled some serious poison into that tea. I want to know who created it and who had access to the plants used in there. Now," she growled.

Neal checked the roster and found nothing helpful. Hugo of Fenrigh had been scheduled to work the day before, but Neal knew that he wasn't the mage that he had ordered to make the tea.

He had been friends with Hugo's older brother at the University and knew Hugo by sight. The mage he had asked to make the tea was young, blonde, and a woman.

He told Alanna what he had found and then rushed out. He was instantly mobbed by friends. Kel's parents had arrived and were looking disturbingly calm. He knew it was just from living in the Yamani Islands but it still unnerved him.

Everyone else was looking panicked. Alanna had not looked well when she rushed into the infirmary with the tea.

He quieted them down and told them that he had no news. He sent Dom to go to Hugo's rooms.

His cousin knew the palace as well as he did and looked as though he needed a distraction.

Just as Dom was leaving, Duke Baird rounded the corner. Dom greeted him with a relieved "Uncle" before continuing on hi mission.

The king had sent for Neal's father to return the day after Kel had gotten attacked. Duke Baird had already been on his way back to Corus when the messenger found him.

He had arrived late the night before and gone to bed. He figured he would see his son the next morning and check up on Kel but he didn't realize how early it would happen.

Neal was relieved to see his father. He would never admit it to anyone but he had missed his father. Duke Baird always made him feel safer. His father always had an uncanny ability of knowing exactly when he was needed.

* * *

Neal rushed him into the infirmary to help Alanna. The three worked on Kel for hours. The sun was well in the sky when they declared Kel safe.

The Duke was voted to be the one to tell everyone what had happened and he quietly accepted it. He wondered why Neal and Alanna were so reluctant to talk to Kel's friends and family.

Duke Baird found out why when he opened the door. He was met with a large crowd of worried, nervous, and angry friends.

During the hours that Kel had been in there, people had left to find everyone else that they thought should be there. Over the course of a few hours, more than 30 people had assembled out of the infirmary.

Buri and Raoul were still there as were Alanna, Dom, Yuki, and Ilane and Piers of Mindelan.

Shinko was there with Roald who had arrived back at the palace with Duke Baird. Dom's squad and Aiden's squad were there as were various other members of Third Company. They all knew Kel from her time as Raoul's squire.

Faleron of King's Reach and Owen of Jesslaw, two of Kel's friend from when they were pages, were there. They had been traveling with the prince and Duke Baird.

Daine was there as well. She wasn't needed as much in the north anymore and had been given, or rather ordered to take, a vacation.

He quieted everyone down and asked Dom where Hugo was. His son had told him what they had discovered as they worked on Kel.

Dom shifted under everyone's gazes and replied to his uncle. "He is asleep. He overused himself healing someone a few days back and asked someone else to take over his shift."

Neal started to interrupt him but Dom cut him off.

"Yes, I did ask who he asked to take over his shift. He had asked Jasson of Darroch but he was busy. The other mage promised to find someone to take over his shift. I went to Jasson's rooms and he said someone else volunteered for him. He doesn't know who just that she was young and blonde."

Neal sniffed haughtily and went to his wife.

Duke Bair told everyone what they had found. He was interrupted many times and was growing slightly irritated with the group. He could see why the other two mages had let him tell everyone.

"She is unconscious and will remain so for days to come. I don't know when she will wake up. That all depends on Kel," Duke Baird finished.

He left to return to his rooms as the crowd erupted in anger. He left his son to sort it out.

Tell me what you think. Please!!! I will try to updat soon.


	10. author's note

A/N

I want to apologize for the slow updates. I have writer's block at the moment and I need help. I would love to get your opinions on some things.

Should Kel stay in Corus and get attacked there again of should the attacks stop until she is out on the front lines again?

I am debating bringing Tobe in from New Hope. Thoughts?

Should the Chamber be involved since it was the one that sent her after Blayce?

Should Kel and Dom have a completely blissful courtship or should there be problems?

Just give me your opinions on where to take the story. Please?


	11. Filler

I apologize for the long wait. School is horrible and I am the worst procrastinator. I promise to try and do better, but that will have to wait until after finals. This is a bit of a filler chapter to get it set up for the next part of the story. I promise to post another chapter tomorrow.

Thanks to everyone who gave me ideas about what to do next. I think I finally know where the story is headed.

Disclaimer- Tamora Pierce owns everything, I'm just borrowing the characters for a bit. Enjoy, hopefully.

* * *

By the middle of October, Keladry was getting restless. She had woken up near the conclusion of August, with very few memories of the days leading up to her poisoning. She had spent the last several weeks working out and practicing and had finally regained most of the muscle she had lost while unconscious.

There had been no more attacks and Kel had finally convinced the king to remove the guard that had been assigned to her protection. She was tired of being followed by various knights and palace guards and she absolutely hated feeling weak.

There had been no news about who had poisoned her or who the blonde healer was, but Kel was just glad that she was safe.

She wanted to return to New Hope before the snow made travel impossible and she had been working extra hard to prove that she could.

Kel was at the practice courts again. She didn't really have anything else to do so she returned to spending all of her time there.

Shinko, Yuki, Thayet, Ilane, and some other women had resumed dawn glaive practice and Kel joined them. She had been teaching Alanna to use the glaive since Yuki and Shinko were too afraid of Alanna to correct her.

After practice she had eaten breakfast and returned to the practice courts. She had spent all morning there before going to lunch. She had eaten with some members of the third company since they had just returned to the palace.

Then she had returned to the practice courts. That was where Dom found her several hours later.

He watched her carefully, looking for any signs of exhaustion or weakness but eventually he just started admiring her. She was getting back into shape but she looked painfully thin from her weeks of being hand-fed various drinks to try and wake her up and to give her nutrients. Dom also thought that Kel was paler than ever.

His heart wrenched as he watched her obliviously carry on with her practice. He had been avoiding her for weeks now and he knew it.

Dom had been terrified when Kel had been unconscious. He spent every waking moment next to her side, tending to her every need. Raoul had been surprisingly supportive. Other than taking him aside and threatening to castrate him if he hurt her, Raoul had accepted that Kel and Dom were together.

For weeks after Kel was poisoned, Raoul had refrained from pulling Dom away from Kel. He avoided sending Dom's squad in to the field and had assigned other men from Dom's squad to do the paperwork.

Raoul had known that he couldn't keep them at the palace forever; Dom's squad was getting restless and there was bound to be a conflict that required the entire company but he wanted to give Dom time with Kel. He had explained as much to the sergeant but they both knew that Dom would eventually have to leave.

When she had finally awoken, Dom was so ecstatic. Kel had been a bit surprised that he was the one by her bedside, which had hurt, but it hurt even more when she tensed away from his hug.

Neal, Duke Baird, and even Alana when she got back, had checked Kel over and declared her safe and healthy except for a slight case of amnesia.

Dom had been hurt that Kel didn't remember their relationship and had avoided her for the following weeks. By mid September, Yuki caught on to what Dom was doing and called him out on it. She made him promise to talk to Kel but the following night the entire Third Company of the Own was called out to southern Tortall.

Now that he was back, he knew that he would have to talk to her eventually but he was scared. There had to be some reason that she didn't remember the change in their relationship. During the last three weeks, he had imagined hundreds of different scenarios where he told Kel what had happened, and they all ended with him getting his heart broken.

After Kel finished her pattern dance, she noticed Dom watching her. She picked up her drink and chugged down water as she made her way over to where Dom was standing.

"My lord needs to see you, Kel," Dom told her with a small smirk. "He asked that you report to his rooms after changing." With that, Dom nodded and left, leaving Kel puzzled.

As she changed, Kel wondered what was up with Dom. He wasn't acting like himself. He wasn't acting particularly cold, but he hadn't flirted or called her "mother" or "protector" or anything else, and where was his trademark heart-melting smile?

Kel couldn't imagine what had happened to change him.

Kel arrived at Lord Raoul's rooms just as his wife was leaving. Buri smiled when she saw Kel and gave her a hug, but she was still a bit worried about the young knight and hoped that Jon knew what he was doing.

Raoul let her in and asked her to sit down. He looked preoccupied and she was reminded of Lord Wyldon for a scary moment or two.

"Kel," Raoul said, "I want you to listen to me. Don't interrupt and don't complain. Please?"

He was acting odd but Kel agreed.

"I know that you have been anxious to get out of Corus for several weeks but it isn't possible for you to return to New Hope this year. It is still too dangerous."

He continued as Kel opened her mouth to protest.

"Let me finish. We want you to finish taking your vacation. You still need to re-build your strength before you return to active duty and I think New Hope would be the worst possible place for you to do that. I know you. You will overwork yourself and try to fight before you are ready so I, along with several others, voted against your returning to New Hope.

"You and Neal are ordered to take a break from active duty until next April. Sir Merric will remain in charge of New Hope until you both return. I want you to take the next couple of months to relax and train and have fun. You can stay at the palace or travel to Queenscove with Yukimi and Neal, or you can return to Mindelan if you want, but you have to choose before the snow makes travel impossible."

Raoul hated talking to her like that but he knew that he had to. His concern for her safety had to outweigh his desire to spare her any emotional pain.

Kel thought about it for a moment but it wasn't too hard of a choice. Her parents had returned to Mindelan not long after Kel had woken up and were leaving for the Islands come spring for several years. This would be her last chance to spend time with them for the foreseeable future.

She also missed her brother Anders and her nieces and nephews and it had been a while since she had returned home. It would also be an excuse to get away from all of the overbearing friends and gawking servants, commoners, and nobles.

She told Raoul her choice and they arranged for her to leave for Mindelan in three days time with a small guard and Yuki and Neal. They would travel to Queenscove and stay there for a few days before Kel and the guards left for Mindelan.

Kel didn't want any guards and resented being forced to keep them until spring, but Raoul was adamant. He promised her that they needed the rest.

Kel finally left when Buri and Alanna returned.

"So, did you do your part?" Alanna asked by way of greeting. Raoul just rolled his eyes as he stood and kissed his wife.

"Yes, she agreed to take the soldiers but she doesn't know that it is Dom's squad that will be escorting them." Raoul had felt guilty about the deception but he knew that Kel and Dom belonged together and that they needed a push or shove together. At least that is what Alanna told him.

"Good. We'll just have to see if Yuki does her part and if Neal ruins it, I will kill him."

* * *

I hope it wasn't too horrible and I will try to post another chapter tomorrow. This is the last time I will ever start posting a story before writing at least half of it. I promise.

Please review!


	12. Travelling

Okay, another chapter. It is a bit of a filler as well, but I hope you like it anyway. The next chapter will have some actual action in it, I hope.

Thanks to everyone who reviewed, it made me so happy.

Disclaimer- I am not Tamora Pierce and I don't own anything that you recognize.

* * *

Three days later, Kel was saddling Peachblossom just after dawn. She would usually take Hoshi on a long journey like this, but Hoshi had just had a healing from a minor injury while training and wasn't up to the long journey.

Peachblossom was being extra temperamental and was making it very difficult to saddle him. By the time Kel got to the gates, grumbling to her horse about childish games, everyone else had already saddled up.

Yuki was going to be riding as well, and sat on her mare, murmuring to her husband. Neal looked half asleep, which he probably was, but he seemed excited to be going home. Yuki hadn't seen Queenscove yet and he couldn't wait to show off his bride.

As Kel pulled up next to the couple, she noticed there were more soldiers than Raoul had said.

" I am going to absolutely murder him," Kel hissed, looking around at the squad of the Own. "That meddling, over-protective, lying giant of a knight!"

"Well, I guess there is no need to ask who's funeral we are going to be attending, then," smirked Dom as he strolled up to the gathering.

Kel stiffened and then relaxed, wondering why she was so tense around Dom. Dom and the rest of the soldiers mounted and the entire company left, Kel and Dom at the front followed by Yuki and Neal, and then the other men.

It was about a three day ride to Queenscove from Corus, but it felt much longer. Neal and Yuki were lost in their own world, leaving Kel ride in silence with Dom.

When they stopped for lunch on the first day, Kel had sat between Dom and Wolset, as she normally did. She talked to the other men and could feel them staring at her when she looked away, which made her uncomfortable.

After she had woken up in the infirmary, she had been surprised at how many people came to see her and make sure she was okay. The majority of the third company came to visit her within the first couple of days.

When she had finally been able to return to the practice courts, the men had treated her like a porcelain doll until she re-proved herself and her capabilities. Yet they still were a bit uncomfortable around her.

Dom was even more uncomfortable around her than the rest. When she had asked him why he was at her bedside, he had avoided the question and asked her what she remembered from before she was spelled.

Between that exchange and something Alanna had said, and the way Dom seemed to avoid her, Kel figured that something had happened between them that she forgot.

Kel tried to talk to Dom when they were riding that first day after lunch, but after he answered her with monosyllable responses, Kel gave up.

They set up camp that night, about two thirds of the way to Queenscove. Kel fell asleep right after dinner, tired from the long day in the saddle. She hated to admit it, but she still wasn't back to full strength yet.

The next two days passed the in pretty much the same way. On the third day, the group stopped for lunch about an hour out of Queenscove. It was a short break since Neal was so anxious to get home and most of the men were ready for a bath and an actual bed.

Kel was growing sick of the uncomfortable silence between herself and Dom and promised herself that she would talk to him before they reached Queenscove.

She was trying to work up the courage when she decided to just get it over with. Glancing behind her to make sure that Neal and Yuki were occupied, Kel nudged Peachblossom closer to Dom's mount, but still out of biting range.

"Dom", Kel said softly, startling him out of his reverie. "What happened between us before the poisoning?" Kel asked out of the blue.

Dom immediately turned to look at Kel. He was wondering how much she knew.

"What do you mean?" Dom asked. He was trying to buy time to figure out how much to tell her, but Kel sensed what he was thinking. She gave him a look that he could've sworn she learned from Alanna.

"Okay, okay," Dom conceded. He too turned around to make sure nobody was listening in on them. Kel had already been informed of what had happened with the attacks but they had left out some details about how Dom had been involved. He told her everything as they rode to Queenscove. He told her how he loved her and how they had slept together and how he had been the one to figure out that she had been poisoned in her tea.

He talked for the rest of the ride, never stopping and never giving her a chance to respond. He was afraid that if he didn't tell her everything he would chicken out.

When Dom finally got to the end of his story, he found he felt relieved but he still couldn't bring himself to look at Kel.

Kel was trying to process everything she had heard. She had liked Dom for years and she was ecstatic that he liked her back but she couldn't quite believe what he told her. She knew that he would never lie to her about something that important, but she still couldn't believe it.

Dom finally looked at Kel and realized that something was wrong. She looked paler than before and still hadn't said anything. All of his previous worries returned and he was about to apologize when Neal gave a great yell that was seconded by the rest of Dom's squad.

Turning forward again, Dom saw Queenscove looming before them. He picked up his speed because he too couldn't wait to get there, and promised to talk to Kel after dinner.

He told himself that he was just giving her a chance to absorb what he had told her, but he knew he was just kidding himself. Dom was just too afraid that Kel would reject him and wanted to cling to his last hope for a few more hours.

The soldiers and knights were greeted by Neal's mother. She had servants show the soldiers to their rooms in the guest wing of the castle while Neal showed Yuki their rooms and Dom quickly went to his usual rooms.

Neal's mother showed Kel to her guest rooms herself, talking the entire time. Kel instantly liked the woman and it appeared that the feeling was mutual. The duchess had apparently heard a lot about the lady knight from her husband, son, and nephew.

The castle was large, even by palace standards. The duchess filled her in on the history of the place as she led Kel to the rooms that she would be staying in. Kel couldn't help but notice that they were going to the family suites.

The duchess showed Kel her rooms, showing her the gorgeous suite that would be her home for the next few days. There was an elegant sitting room with a door to a spacious and elegantly furnished bedroom. The bedroom opened up to a large closet and her own bathroom with a large in ground tub. It felt like she had her own bathing house connected to her bedroom.

Kel gushed her praise to her host as she walked the duchess out of the rooms. When they reached the door to the hallway, the duchess opened it before turning back. She gave Kel a hug before smiling and stepping into the corridor.

Kel was surprised by the hug but she wasn't affronted. She really liked the duchess. As she bid her host goodbye until dinner, she caught Dom's eye. He was just leaving his rooms which were situated right next to hers.

They looked right at each other before blushing and turning away.

Kel called herself seven kinds of stupid as she began to unpack. She was certain that Neal's mother had seen the entire awkward exchange between them.

Kel decided to take a nice long soak after putting up her clothes. She had a few hours before supper and she wanted to bathe and take a nap before then. She also hoped that a nice, long, hot bath would release the tension in her muscles and help her process what Dom had told her earlier that afternoon.

Kel quickly hung up her clothes in the closet. She had plenty of shirts, tunics, and breeches, but she had just as many dresses and even a gown or two. Lalasa had been so worried when Kel was unconscious and apparently she showed her concern by sewing Kel and entire new wardrobe.

The dresses were all gorgeous and Kel couldn't wait to wear one that night.

After Kel went downstairs to inquire after water for her bath, she ran into Dom on her way back to her rooms. He was just coming back from making sure his men were settling in.

She gave him a small half-smile before returning to her rooms, and Dom could've sworn that he could fly. He was so relieved. Maybe she didn't hate him after all.

Kel sat on her bed to wait for the servants to bring up water for her bath and she immediately fell asleep. She woke up hours later to a knock on her door.

When she opened it, she found Yuki, looking slightly giddy. Kel could see that her Yamani friend was enjoying her new home.

Yuki frowned when she saw Kel. "I was going to see if you needed help getting ready, but Kel, have you even taken a bath yet?"

Kel looked at her friend and realized that Yuki was all clean and made up. Looking around, she realized that it was long after dusk.

'Oh my gods, what time is it? I think I fell asleep." Kel was so flustered. She had wanted to take a long relaxing bath before getting ready but it looked like she didn't have the time. She quickly bathed in the cold water before drying off.

Yuki picked out a dress for her and helped her get ready. Kel was really anxious. She had wanted to make a good impression on Neal's family but it looked like she was going to be late to supper.

Kel had just finished getting ready, with Yuki's help, when someone knocked on her door. She opened it to find a young girl, maybe 15 or 16 who introduced herself as Neal's sister. She showed Kel and Yuki to the dining room.

Supper was a happy, light affair. Kel and Dom avoided looking at or talking with each other, but Kel enjoyed the evening nonetheless. The duchess was really open and told her and Yuki all about Dom and Neal's exploits as children.

Kel replied with some stories about Neal at the palace during their page years, and Neal spent the entire meal alternating between sulking and defending himself.

When Kel finally returned to her rooms, she was exhausted but in a better mood than she had been in for months. She waited for the servants to bring up more water and decided to try and have the nice soothing bath she had been denied earlier.

Kel had just finished washing her hair and was falling asleep in the bath when she heard a knock on the door. She called out for them to wait and quickly slipped on a dressing gown that Lalasa had made for her.

She opened the door and stuck her head out, expecting Yuki or Neal or one of the servants to be out there. Instead she saw sparkling blue eyes and heard Dom take a deep breath.

"Can I come in, Kel? We really need to talk."

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Oooh! Evil cliffy. This wasn't the most fun chapter to write but it had to be done. Please review and know that I will try to update in the next few days. I hope I wasn't too evil making Kel forget about her relationship with Dom but at least he is trying to fix that. Be prepared for some fluff in the next chapter, whenever I get around to writing it. Yeah, fluff!


	13. Queenscove

I am so sorry. It has taken me a month to update again. I am so sorry. I had so much trouble with this chapter, I don't know why. I re-wrote it 6 times before just deciding to screw it and post it.

Feed back is most welcome. Reviews, even constructive criticism make me so happy.

Tamora Pierce owns everything, the lucky lady. I am not Tamora Pierce. If I was, I wouldn't be writing fanfiction, I would be writing Bloodhound and not tormenting the poor readers.

I used the names of some friends and enemies. I JUST used the NAMES, this isn't how I really see my friends, I promise so don't hate me.

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"_Can I come in, Kel? We really need to talk."_

Kel's breath caught in her throat. She didn't know if she was ready to talk about what Dom had told her yet but it seemed as though she did not have a choice. Numbly, Kel stepped back to allow Dom to enter her rooms. Dom looked up and down the corridor before entering and shutting the door behind him.

Kel had to grin at his antics. He reminded her so much of Neal when they were all studying late and they had to sneak out of Neal's rooms without getting caught.

Dom turned around in time to see Kel's smile and he returned it with a grin of his own. Deciding that it was his turn to take the initiative, Dom exhaled a deep breath.

"Kel, before we start, I just wanted you to know that I still love you and have really missed you these last weeks. And I am sorry if I made you uncomfortable by telling you what happened but I just felt that you should know."

Kel opened her mouth to respond but Dom cut her off.

"I can understand if you are mad at me. I should have told you right away instead of lying about what had happened and avoiding you and I know that it was wrong and it wasn't as though I was ashamed of you, but I was scared that you were ashamed about what happened or that you no longer cared about me that way and that terrified me more than I cared to admit because I have realized that I really do love you a lot and this isn't just a court fling to me…"

Dom broke off as Kel started to laugh. It wasn't a court lady's tinkling, grating giggle but a full out laugh.

Dom just stared at Kel as though she was crazy. He had seen her intensely scared and nervous and worried and irritated and even angry but he had never heard her laugh so much.

Kel saw that Dom looked a little hurt and miffed but she couldn't stop herself.

"You… Neal… dramatics… must run… family… insane… poor Yuki…. don't know… thinking."

Kel forced herself to stop and breathe, trying to control her mirth. When her hysterics had calmed down, Kel stood up straight to look at Dom. He was looking out her window and she couldn't see his face. His posture was stiff and tense and Kel quickly sobered up.

"Dom?" Kel asked tentatively. "Are you okay?"

"What do you think? You laughed at me. I admitted my feelings to you and you laughed at me. You didn't just reject me. You gave me hope that maybe we could get back to the way things were before and then crushed it by falling into hysterics when I try to have a mature, rational conversation about…"

Kel cut him off by kissing him. It was a chaste kiss but it was their first kiss that Kel could remember and it seemed to shut Dom up pretty quickly.

Kel pulled back. "Are you ready to let me explain myself, or are you going to continue pouting?" Kel couldn't help the smirk that appeared on her face as she though of Dom pouting.

When he didn't respond, Kel continued.

"I'm sorry, I wasn't laughing at you but at the situation. You acted so much like Neal does, or rather did, when he fell in love with a court beauty. I couldn't help but laugh at the comparison between you and our beloved Meathead. I apologize if it offended you. I really do like you, and I want to try this."

Dom smiled broadly at Kel. It wasn't his flirtatious smile or his smirk saved for his cousin and it made Kel almost giddy.

Dom stayed the night and they talked the entire time. Dom filled her in completely on what she had missed and they caught up from the last month or so when they hadn't really talked to each other. And they kissed. A lot.

Dom snuck out a bell or two before sunrise and Kel laid down, in the best mood she could ever remember being in until she was startled awake by Yuki.

Yuki had let herself into Kel's rooms when she hadn't joined them at breakfast. She had been surprised to find Kel still asleep, sprawled out on her bed. When she had sat down next to Kel, she leaned over to wake her up and stopped.

"Dom was in here?" Yuki screeched!

Kel immediately sat bolt straight, jolted awake.

As Kel rubbed the sleep from her eyes and stretched to loosen up her arms, Yuki started peering on and around Kel's bed. It wasn't until Kel stopped stretching and rolled her head around to loosen up her neck that she noticed what Yuki was doing.

Kel snorted. "Why are you smelling my bed?"

Yuki smiled playfully back. She been trying to show more emotion now that she was in Tortall and had taken to smiling more than she ever had. "So. Did you have a nice night with Dom?"

Kel opened her mouth to respond before she realized what Yuki must think. She blushed deep red before pulling up her mask. "Yes, I did," she said plainly. "But you still didn't answer my question."

"I smell Dom's perfume on your bed."

Kel turned and buried her head in her pillow. She breathed deeply and smiled at Yuki.

"Is it weird that I love Dom so much already when I only knew that we courted for a day?"

"No."

:"Are you going to elaborate?"

"You have known Dom for, what, almost 6 years and he knew about you for about 9 or 10. You know almost everything about each other and flirted non-stop. You have worked and fought and laughed side by side for years. You have been under his command and he has been under yours. Goddess, he even followed you to Scanra and back. I think you two know each other better than couple that have been married for years. Most people get married after a year or two of courting, but they only meet during balls and assemblies and the occasional date. You two have a head start on everybody else. So, my short answer, no. It isn't weird that you love Dom already because I think you two have loved each other for years before you even owned up to it."

Kel smiled and gave Yuki a hug. "Thanks, but I don't think we are ready to even start thinking about marriage."

Yuki returned the smile and gave Kel a look that said "whatever you say".

Half a bell later, Kel was presentable in a gorgeous dress by Lalasa. It had very few ruffles or embellishments, which Kel was thankful for, but it was cut a little lower than she would have liked. It was a deep red color, though, so Kel decided to wear.

As Yuki was brushing out Kel's hair, there was a knock on her door.

Yuki went to answer it as Kel brushed out her hair on her own. It had gotten pretty long since she hadn't felt the need to cut it since she left New Hope four months earlier.

Kel hoped that it would not be Alaysia, Neal's 16 year old sister. Alaysia was on break from the convent for her sister's wedding and she was going to be presented in the spring, and that is all she really talked about. She was tiny and completely filled with gossip. She seemed pretty shallow and insincere and she really didn't seem to like Kel at all.

When Yuki opened the door, Kaitlynn was standing there. Kaitlynn was about to turn 19 and was really sweet and lively. She was engaged to Imrah of Fenrigh, but was as kind and pretty as her soon to be sister-in-law wasn't. Doanna of Fenrigh still wasn't married and she was even more bitter than ever. The night before at supper, Kel and Kaitlynn had bashed Doanna to their hearts's content.

"I came to see if you needed any help, Kel. I went to Yuki's rooms and my brother informed me that Yuki would most likely be helping you," Kaitlynn addressed Kel as she entered. She had locked arms with Yuki and Kel was pleased to see that she would have an ally in the house after Kel left.

Neal's younger brother, Emry, and his wife, Anna, were in residence as were Neal's younger sisters, Alaysia and Virginia.

Emry, Alaysia, and Virginia had all looked down on Yuki for being Yaman and Kel was happy that Kaitlynn, for the time being at least, would help her through. Anna was also kind but she was shy and quiet and would never dare displease her husband.

While Yuki and Kaitlynn did Kel's hair and face paint, they discussed Kel's travels. Kaitlynn wanted to know everything about Scanra and the Yamani Islands and the rest of Tortall. The girls talked and gossiped and planned the rest of Kel's travels for the next bell. By the time the three made it to dinner, they were laughing and had moved on to discuss weapons.

Everybody was already seated when they arrived. Tanya, the duchess, was seated at the head with her sons on either side of her. There were two empty seats on Neal's right side in between him and Dom. Yuki and Kel sat there. On the other side of Dom was Wolset and several members of his squad. On the duchess's left side sat Emry then Anna. Kailynn sat in the empty chair and to her left were Alaysia, Virginia, and the rest of Dom's squad.

"Hey, milady. What were you three laughing about? What tasty bit of gossip do you have?" Wolset called out and Dom's men guffawed at him.

Kel gave him the polite smile that meant he was in for it, and all of the soldiers shut up. "Actually, I was telling them about the time that the lady, Anya Dortya, I think was her name, stole your uniform while you slept, kicked you out of her rooms, and made you grovel for them the next day at breakfast," Kel told him, still smiling.

Wolset immediately turned red and ducked while the rest of the squad, Dom, and Neal laughed hysterically. Emry frowned and Kel just smiled at him. He reminded her of Conal and she was surprised that such a progressive family would have such a conservative son.

Dinner was a loud and boisterous affair. While Emry frowned and humpffed through out the meal, everybody else had a good time. They told jokes and discussed weapons and strategies. Kaitlynn was really interested in different weapons and asked a million questions about page training and being a squire to Lord Raoul. Neal got payback for all of the embarrassing stories Kel had told about him by going on about everything Kel had done as a page and when she ran the refugee camp.

"Yes, mother here had to talk a terrified, drunk refugee down from the flag pole. We still can't figure out how he got up there in the first place." Neal finished telling the story about the drunk refugee who was dared to climb the pole and draw on Kel's flag.

"Mother?" Emry asked, scorn coloring his voice. He had basically grown up at the palace and at the university, and adopted this polished, refined, grating voice. Kel almost winced just hearing him say mother.

She gave a little smile and went to answer but Neal interrupted her. He hadn't seen his brother since he left the university, and he hadn't gotten along with Emry since he and Yuki had arrived.

"Yes, Kel is the mother. She always takes care of everybody and makes sure everyone is okay."

"And she makes everybody eat their vegetables," added a member of Dom's squad that had been force fed his vegetables too.

"And she is the voice of reason," added Wolset.

"She bails everybody out of trouble," added another soldier.

"And keeps my lord from killing us when we prank him." That got a lot of laughs from the other men.

"She treats everyone like equals."

"And makes sure we don't kill each other."

"Or die on the battlefield."

Kel blushed and sunk lower in her chair, trying to escape the duchess's gaze.

"She made sure that all of the refugees were comfortable."

"And that the convicts were treated right."

"She made sure all of the conflicts were settled fairly."

"Even if it gave her a headache," Neal added.

"And she kept them from killing our dear meathead," Dom added with a chuckle. The rest of the soldiers, Yuki, and Kaitlynn laughed while Neal threw a roll at his cousin. Kel grabbed Dom's arm to keep him from retaliating.

"Play nice. We aren't at a campsite and you two are fully grown soldiers," Kel reminded them, softly. Neal grimaced at Kel while Dom gave her a charming smile. She hid her blush beneath her mask.

The rest of the meal passed uneventfully. Most of the conversation was supplied by Dom's squad, Neal, Yuki, Kaitlynn, and Kel. Alaysia and Virginia flirted with the soldiers while Ann conversed quietly with her husband and sisters-in-law. Duchess Tanya was silent as well as she observed Kel and Emry only spoke to disapprove of something.

Kel went back to her rooms that night very content. She wanted to grab her glaive and perform a practice dance or two before she went to bed but she couldn't get out of her dress. After a few moments of struggle, there was a knock on her door.

Kel answered it thinking it was Yuki. "Thank Mithros you are here, I need help getting out of this stupid dress," Kel said as she pulled open the door.

She was met with a chuckle. "You know, all you had to do was ask," Dom replied with a smirk.

Kel turned bright red. She didn't answer as she tried to control her breathing. She was utterly mortified.

Dom stepped into her rooms and helped her undo her dress. She disappeared behind the screen to change as Dom continued to laugh.

She stuck her head out to stick her tongue out at him.

Dom only laughed harder. "You have spent too much time with the refugee children."

Kel stopped smiling and ducked behind the screen again.

"Oh, Kel, I am sorry. I know that you must miss them all terribly." He wrapped his arms around her and kissed her neck. Kel leaned against him.

"I do. I really do. I know that they are all going to be fine, but..." She trailed off as tears leaked out of her eyes. She was so sad and Dom felt so good. "I am sorry."

"It is okay. You can cry. You loved them all and now they are gone, for the time anyway." Dom turned Kel around and hugged her tighter. He felt so bad for her and he couldn't do anything about it.

Kel looked up and kissed him as she hugged him. Dom kissed her back and led her to her bed.

Kel woke up the next morning feeling the happiest she had ever felt. Dom still held her close and Kel snuggled into his arms. Neither of them went down to breakfast. They grabbed something small from the kitchen on their way to practice with Dom's squad later that morning.

The guys hooted when they walked out.

Wolset greeted them with a great big smile. " I went to see you this morning to see if you wanted in on a bet and your manservant informed me that you had never returned to your rooms."

"And you felt the need to inform everybody?"

"Well, sarge. It only seemed fair. We have always known that you and the lady knight would get together but I figured that you would get married or at least engaged before engaging in such extra activities such as…"

Kel cut Wolset off. "Thank you, corporal, for volunteering to spar with me. I was so afraid that I would have to coerce someone to fight with me. I have an extra glaive so maybe I can get some work in with my glaive." Kel gave him a big smile as he turned white.

Dom's other corporal, Dawset, clapped him on the back. "It was nice knowing you, man."

"Perhaps you would like to spar with me next?" Kel asked Dawset. He turned as pale as his friend. The other men laughed but shut up as Kel turned on them.

"Alfred, Johnson," Kel named two of the newest members of the squad. "Thank you for agreeing to spar with me after your two corporals." They didn't pale as they hadn't seen Kel in action yet but they would eventually. "Anybody else feel like sparring with me?"

None of the men said anything and a few even started backing away.

"Good. Wolset, I will go grab my extra glaive. I will be back in a few minutes."

By the time Kel had trashed Wolset and Dawset, the two rookies were pale and shaky.

Kel had a very enjoyable practice and returned to her rooms to wash. The following week passed in pretty much the same manner. Dom spent every night in her rooms and the guys stopped commenting on it after she had thrashed them all at least once in practice.

Kel had a few woman to woman chats with Duchess Tanya. She figured the old lady knew something she wasn't letting on. Kel really enjoyed the talks but she still couldn't wait until she returned to Mindelan. They were leaving on Sunday, the morning before the wedding party was supposed to arrive.

Kaitlynn joked that Kel was running from Lady Doanna, and Kel couldn't completely deny it.

Saturday night, Dom spent the night in Kel's room again. When Kel woke up, Dom was gone. She figured he had a good reason and got up to get dressed. Since it was her last day there, Kel took extra time primping in front of the mirror. As Kel was fixing her hair, she noticed something sparkly on her hand on her reflection.

Kel brought her left hand in front of her face and stared at the ring. It didn't comprehend for a moment. Then it clicked and Kel nearly fainted.

"Dom," Kel screamed as she tore out of her room. "Dom!"

Kel found him in the foyer with his soldiers, Neal, his aunt, and Emry greeting some guests.

"Dom! What is this?" Kel held out her left hand.

"Its an engagement ring, love," Dom replied coolly, though inside his guts were clenching.

"Why?" Kel as, sounding thick.

"Because I want you to marry me."

"What? Marry you?"

"Maybe we should discuss this elsewhere." Dom grabbed Kel's arm and gently towed her away from the group. He started buttoning up her shirt that she had apparently left undone in her haste to get to Dom.

Kel blushed and turned away from the guests, who were staring at her as she finished getting presentable.

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Please, please review! They make me so happy. I will try and update this weekend, but no promises!


	14. Long Engagement

Disclaimer- Tamora Pierce owns everything and I am not her.

Thanks to all of my readers that reviewed the last chapter. Most of my comments were about Dom's proposal, so I hope this chapter answers those questions.

I am sorry if some people seem a little OOC in this chapter, It couldn't be helped.

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_"Because I want you to marry me."_

_"What? Marry you?"_

Kel's brain was racing. She couldn't believe that Dom had just proposed! He was the court flirt, and he had said that Kel was different, but she hadn't really believed him. Even if she had, she never would have thought that he would propose so soon. They had only been courting since July.

"Dom… I…" Kel trailed off. She really didn't know what to think or what to say.

Kel remembered what Yuki had said several days earlier.

"_You have known Dom for, what, almost 6 years... You know almost everything about each other... You have worked and fought and laughed side by side for years… He even followed you to Scanra and back. I think you two know each other better than couple that have been married for years.. It isn't weird that you love Dom already because I think you two have loved each other for years before you even owned up to it_."

Kel smiled at Dom. "I don't know what to say. I love you so much and I can't imagine being without you, but I don't think I am ready to get married yet. And, if we did get married, it would be tough. With both of us traveling and being assigned different posts, it would be hard to see each other and, wait… you are in the Own. You can't get married. I won't let you. You love the Own and are a great soldier, I can't ask you to resign. That wouldn't be fair to…"

Dom kissed Kel. "I love you. You mean more to me than anything else, but I am not quitting the Own just yet."

Kel cocked her head to the side. "What do you mean?"

"I was thinking that we could have a long engagement. I know that this seems soon, but I kind of just wanted to stake my claim, sort of. I know that you go back to active duty in April, and I want everybody to know that you aren't free. I also love you and will always love you, and I wanted you to know that this isn't just a joke to me. There is no law that says men of the Own can't be engaged, so I thought that we could be engaged for a couple of years before I quit."

Kel smiled and held Dom's face as she kissed him. "Yes. Yes, I will marry you. I love you so much."

"I'm glad." Dom wrapped her up in a hug and spun her around, grinning like a maniac, or like Neal, whichever one works.

As Dom towed Kel back over to his family he wrapped his arm around her while his soldiers hooted and laughed and shouted encouragements.

Neal was grinning and clapping. "May I be the first to say "Welcome to the family, Kel". Pretty soon you'll be just as crazy as the rest of us, my dear Protector… Umpf!"

Yuki smacked her husband on the side of his head with her shukusen. "Congratulations, Kel. You two are perfect for each other."

Yuki had arrived at the entrance hall while Kel and Dom were speaking. Anna, Kaitlynn, Alaysia, and Virginia had entered with her. Kaitlynn and Yuki hugged her while Alaysia and Virginia glared at Kel.

"Congratulations Kel, Dom," Anna smiled hesitantly.

"Thank you."

"So, when will you be joining this lovely group of insane nobles who I am forced to call family…" Neal broke off when Yuki hit him again. All of the girls giggled as Neal rubbed his head.

"We're looking at a long engagement. I am not ready to leave the Own yet and Kel is returning to active duty in April. I just thought I would propose before my men could start a betting pool. They bet on everything and I don't need them betting on when Kel and I would get married and how I would propose and how Kel would react and if you would kill me and…" Dom broke off as his betrothed elbowed him in the side with a smile.

"I love you, Kel. Please don't kill me!!!" Dom knelt on the ground and clasped his hands together, shaking them as he groveled. Neal joined him on the ground and he was soon followed by the rest of Dom's men. The twelve of them looked so ridiculous that Kel couldn't help it.

Kel laughed. "Hush, you insolent curs. Aren't you supposed to be greeting your guests?" Kel turned towards the guests and smiled. "I apologize for them. My lord is always assigning them punishments and latrine duty but it doesn't seem to stick."

"I always knew that you were a whore. The whole court knew that you were sleeping with 'your lord" Raoul and half of his men, but I never thought that you could corrupt someone so much that they would propose to you. Does Domitan even know half of the men you've slept with, you jumped-up chit," Doanna of Fenrigh replied, shrilly.

She was standing with her brother, Imrah, their mother, several soldiers from their home fief, and Duke Baird.

At her words, Dom stepped protectively in front of her, as did Neal and the rest of Dom's squad.

"I would appreciate it if you didn't talk to my betrothed like that. You know absolutely nothing about her and have no right to speak to a knight of this realm like that," Dom answered, his voice full of scorn.

At his words, Neal and his squad all growled at Doanna. They never took insults to Kel well.

The group standing in the entrance hall separated into two distinct groups. Yuki and Kaitlynn moved behind Kel, as backup. Emry backed up Doanna and the Lady of Fenrigh as did their soldiers. Duchess Tanya and Duke Baird stood between the two hostile groups, flanked by Alaysia and Virginia and Anna. Sir Imrah went to stand by his betrothed, Kaitlynn.

The hall seemed to be divided, progressives on one side, conservatives on the other, and the House of Queenscove thrust in to the middle.

"Are you sure that you want to be marrying in to such a conservative group of pigs?" Neal called back to his sister.

"Neal", Kel admonished before him real mother had a chance to. "You are a knight of Tortall. You shouldn't be so rude. Besides, you know that I can take care of myself. I'm used to dealing with conservatives and their ignorant comments. I would think that after 9 years, you would be immune to them as well."

"Oh, you know I could never take insults to your honor as well as you. And, in this instance, at least I don't have to worry about getting punish work from my lord Wyldon or my oh so lovely, deadly knight mistress."

"I've told you, I can defend my honor myself."

"Well, you shouldn't have too," added Wolset.

Duke Baird interrupted the exchange. "I would appreciate it if you would keep comments such as those to yourself while you are in my home. Keladry is an honored guest and a great knight and I do not wish to hear such insults to her honor in my presence."

He then turned to Kel. "Congratulations on your betrothal Kel. You have definitely changed since the first time I healed you back during your page years." He gave her a hug before turning to his nephew. "I don't know about your parents, Dom, but I give you my blessing and I suspect my sister will feel the same. Congratulations."

He then rounded on his eldest son. "As for you, Neal, I thought that somebody might have taught you to hold your tongue by now. You should apologize to Lady Jessica and her daughter. I hope that, come April, when you are back under Kel's command, you will obey her better than you have today."

"I apologize for taking offense to your comment about my best friend and for replying in kind." Neal gave a great, sweeping, Players bow and stalked off. Yuki gave the guests a polite Yamani smile and followed her husband.

Dom sent his men to practice. He glared at his cousin, Emry, who was still standing with Lady Jessica and Doanna before turning back to his uncle and Kel.

"The duchess will show you to your rooms. I would like to talk to Kel and Dom. Follow me." Duke Baird left the still fuming conservatives and walked to his office, followed by Dom and Kel.

The duke let the couple into his study before locking the door and placing hearing charms around the room. "Is it too much to ask, Kel, for you to tell me that you aren't pregnant?"

"What? I'm not pregnant. I promise. Besides, if I was pregnant, why would Dom and I agree on a long engagement?" Kel was growing annoyed. All she had wanted to do was slap Doanna when the lady had accused her of sleeping around, but she had held herself together.

She had even held herself together when all of the soldiers and Neal had tried to defend her honor, but Duke Baird accusing her of being pregnant was almost too much. She had known that a lot of nobles at court and servants and commoners would think the same thing, but she trusted the Duke and didn't think he would be one of them.

"Kel, you know I had to ask. Everybody will be wondering the very same thing and I thought it best to get this conversation out of the way. I apologize if it offended you, but you could still be pregnant, even with a pregnancy charm. They don't always work. They can get old or crack or just not be well made."

"I am not pregnant, but you can check if you want. Even if I were pregnant, it wouldn't factor into my decision to marry Dom. And I don't think my charm doesn't work. I bought a new one not long after I returned to Corus, after the attack in the practice courts, precisely, and Alanna added extra protection to my charm before I left Corus."

Duke Baird probed Kel with his magic before agreeing that she wasn't pregnant. Kel let out the breath she had subconsciously been holding. She hadn't thought that she was pregnant but it never hurt to be sure. Especially since everybody was going to be asking her once it got back to court that she was betrothed to Dom. Kel was just glad that they would be at Mindelan when the worst of it happened.

Half a bell later, Kel and Dom retired to Kel's rooms.

* * *

Back at the palace

Raoul was in his study working on the supply lists for the Own. It was the worst part of his job and he actually thought of taking on another squire just so he would have somebody to do it for him, like Kel did, but he almost immediately discounted the idea. He didn't know how much longer he would be an active knight and he doubted he would be able to find as talented and dedicated of a squire as Kel.

He had just finished checking over second company's supply list and had moved on to third company's list when his door glowed purple.

"Gods all bless," Raoul said exasperated before Alanna strode into his study followed by Buri. His wife walked over to stand beside his chair while Alanna started pacing the room."What are you two doing?"

"Neal just messaged me. Kel and Dom are betrothed," Alanna replied, still pacing.

"That's great!" Raoul said as a smile broke out on his face. "Why are you upset? I thought that was the plan?"

"I'm upset," Alanna turned to Raoul, eyes flashing, "because they are looking at a long betrothal. Like, several years long. Why?"

"They are going to be betrothed for several years?" Raoul repeated. "Why?"

"They don't want to rush into anything. They haven't been courting for very long. Dom still hasn't asked Kel's father for her hand in marriage. It will be hard for them to see each other if they are both traveling on active duty. Kel doesn't want to make Dom retire from the Own. Dom isn't ready to retire from the Own. Kel isn't ready to be a wife. Dom isn't ready to be tied down. Neal's list went on for ages," Alanna replied, disgusted. "He also mentioned something about pregnancy rumors but I know Kel isn't pregnant so I don't see how that is relevant."

"He said that they don't want people to assume that Kel is pregnant or anything and they are hoping that a long engagement will counter-act those rumors," Buri informed her husband.

"It is ridiculous. They can't be betrothed for several years. They will both go insane." Alanna resumed pacing.

"Maybe we can do something about that."

Both women turned to Raoul. Alanna smiled. She remembered some of the pranks that Raoul had pulled when they were pages, squires, and even knights. Buri was a bit concerned. Alanna and some of their friends had told her about the pranks Raoul had played when he was younger, and she was worried that whatever he had in mind might spell trouble for Kel and Dom.

"You are the one who said that they will go insane if they are separated for so long, well, maybe that is what we should do. Kel is on leave until April, right? Well, what if Dom and his squad get called away to help with problems in the desert or somewhere else, far away. I wonder how Kel will feel, helpless, stuck up at Mindelan for months while Dom is in danger. It just might make Kel come to her senses.

"And Dom, well, he will do whatever Kel asks and if she asks him to move up the wedding date, he'll do it without a second thought," Alanna added.

'True, but we can't leave Kel alone at Mindelan. Someone is still trying to kill her. Jon will never agree to leave her at Mindelan, unprotected except for a few Mindelan men- at- arms," Buri interjected before the other two could get carried away.

They just dismissed her, though.

"Kel hasn't been attacked in months. The war is pretty much over. Jon is already looking at turning New Hope into a town or barony or something. Besides, in the off chance that Scanra tries something desperate, Kel is close to several forts. They'll be able to send soldiers to help her, if she can't take care of it herself," Alanna replied, not really paying attention.

Buri left as Raoul and Alanna continued planning.

"Okay, we can't call Dom's squad away until Kel is at Mindelan. She will go crazy faster if she is all alone and isolated from any information about what is going on in the desert and we can't have her travel to Mindelan alone. We will have to wait a few days. Kel leaves tomorrow morning so they should be at Mindelan by Thursday night. If we call them Friday night, they can leave Saturday morning. That will give the couple enough time to tell the baron and baroness about their betrothal," Alanna planned.

"When do the weather mages predict the passages to be snowed shut?" Raoul asked.

"They recently had a defrosting, and Mindelan is close to the sea, so the men should be able to travel until Sunday or Monday. If they leave on Saturday, they should be far enough south to avoid the frost."

"Good, then this might just work out perfectly." Raoul grinned. He hadn't had this much fun planning anything since the Immortals War.

Buri went straight to Thayet's rooms. She had gotten back a few days before, and Buri knew that she would be getting ready for a dinner that night. Buri knocked on Thayet's inner chambers and a maid let her in.

Thayet saw the look on her friend's face and dismissed the servants.

"What is wrong?" Thayet asked.

Raoul and Alanna are going to kill Kel! I swear! Those two lose all common sense when planning a prank! I know that Kel is a great knight and can take care of herself, but she is going to die waiting for news of Dom," Buri burst out.

"What do you mean? What are they planning now?" Thayet asked, a bit concerned. She had been involved in the original plan to get Kel and Dom together along and had been forced to temper some of Alanna's more outrageous plans. Shinko, Yuki, Neal, Buri, and Alanna had all created the plan and Thayet had been approached to get Jon on board with the plan.

Shinko and Yuki had been the voices of reason since Neal and Alanna had been a little extreme, but Thayet couldn't imagine what had Buri so upset. She, herself, was a little worried about Raoul and Alanna planning something by themselves, but Buri bordered on hysterical.

Thayet knew that Buri really like Kel and had enjoyed working with her and thought of her as a daughter, but Thayet couldn't think of anything that the two knights could be planning that would have her sounding so desperate, short of actually murdering Kel themselves.

Buri filled Thayet in on Alanna and Raoul's plan. Thayet agreed that it would be very dangerous and promised to have Jon put an end to it.

The following afternoon, the king called Alanna and Raoul to his personal study. When the two scheming knights arrived, Thayet and Buri were already there as well as Shinko.

"I'm putting an end to this plan of yours before it even starts. I can't allow you to endanger Keladry just so you two can play matchmaker," Jon said, absolutely.

"Snitch," Alanna told Buri before turning back to Jon. "So you would rather Kel and Dom be engaged for several years instead?"

"What?" Jon asked. "They want to be betrothed for several YEARS?! Nobody told me that."

Thayet coughed and glared at her husband.

"Well, it doesn't matter. You can't put Kel's life in peril just to get them together. There are still some crazy Scanrans out there waiting to kill Kel."

"Not even if it shuts ups the conservatives?" Alanna countered.

"What? How would Kel's marriage shut up the conservatives?"

Raoul jumped in. "Their favorite insults include calling Kel a "jumped-up merchant's daughter" and "an ungrateful chit who is no better than she should be" and insinuating that she is sleeping around. Masbolle is a highly respectable, old Tortallan family, and Domitan is a respectable nobleman, even if he is considered a court flirt. By marrying into that family, Kel would be gaining the support of some of the most influential families in Tortall and that might shut up some of the conservatives until the next female knight."

"You can't actually be considering this?" Thayet asked her husband, outraged.

Jon replied, calmly. "They make a valid point. On top of that, many conservatives might believe that Kel plans to settle down and produce heirs once she gets married. Didn't Domitan's older brother recently die in the war?"

When Raoul confirmed it, Jon continued. "He has to produce an heir for Masbolle, so Kel is going to have to have at least one child. And while we know that she is not going to stop being a knight, it might make some of the conservatives back off a bit." Jon continued musing and by the time Alanna and Raoul left, the three knights had concreted their plans.

"Poor Kel. They are going to break her heart," Shinko told her mother- in- law as they left. That night, the servants set up a bed in Jon's study.

* * *

Please review!

I am back at school and will be starting classes on Tuesday so I probably won't update until next weekend.


	15. Stressed

Sorry about the long wait. School started up and life got crazy. I probably won't be updating very often for the next few weeks, sorry. My computer got a virus and it is being stupid. I am constantly running computer and virus scans to try and get rid of it and it keeps coming back. It takes me 6 or 7 times of writing and sending an email before it actually goes through and somebody got hold of my mother's credit card information and is sending us expensive products and they probably got it through me so life is a bit hectic at the moment. School is kicking my butt. I doubled up on math, stupid, stupid, stupid, *hits head repeatedly against her dorm room wall* I have no idea what possessed me to take Algebra 2 AND Trig, but I did. But I will try to update at least once a week. I promise I will finish the story.

I am not Tamora Pierce and that lucky lady owns everything!!!

* * *

The following morning Kel, Dom, and his squad left Queenscove for Mindelan. Kel and Dom had spent all day listening to well wishers and avoiding conservatives. Nobles had poured in all day for Kaitlynn's wedding in three days and the controversial couple was happy when they could leave.

About an hour after they left Queenscove, Wolset broke formation and rode up to Kel and Dom. Kel tensed, subtly, knowing what was coming. Dom's squad had been particularly docile the day before, training, greeting guests, and flirting. They had yet to cause any grief for Kel and Dom and Kel knew that her luck was ending.

"Did you know you lost me 20 gold nobles?" Wolset asked, surprising Kel. "You couldn't have waited one more week? Was it really that important that you propose in front of all the conservatives?"

"What? What in Mithros's name are you going on about, Corporal?" Dom asked.

"The bet!!!! You made me lose the bet!!!! I thought you'd get betrothed within 3 days of arriving at Mindelan. And I was the earliest bet. No one bet that you'd get betrothed at Queenscove. I now have to return all of the bet money to the rest of Third Company and to a bunch on knights! This is so like you..."

Kel had to stifle a smile. It was so like them to bet on everything and anything. Even things she hadn't even thought of. And it was definitely like Wolset to be more concerned about ruining his bet than that Kel and Dom were betrothed.

"… it was the biggest bet pool I'd had yet and, since nobody won, I have to return all of the money!!!" Wolset continued.

"Watch it, Corporal. You just might find yourself demoted," Dom threatened with a growl.

Wolset stuck out his tongue at his commanding officer but, noticing the look on Dom's face, Wolset returned to his place in line.

When they broke for the night, Dom assigned Wolset latrine duty. For the rest of the trip.

"You had to know that they were betting on us, Dom. They bet on everything. You're just in a pet because you were left out of the loop of something," Kel gently scolded him.

Dom pouted, refusing to meet Kel's eye as he set up his tent.

"Dom, look at me," Kel commanded, grabbing his arm to stop him from destroying his tent. "What is wrong? Did I do something wrong? I don't know why you are so upset about a silly little bet."

Dom turned to face her. "No, Kel. Never. I just… ugh… I don't know. Its silly but I feel odd around my men now. I was always the court flirt, not caring who's heart I broke and now I'm engaged to be married to the first true lady knight and none of them are even courting at the moment. I just feel as though there is a barrier between them and me now."

"Dom, I love you and I don't want you to get offended, but that is ridiculous. I think you've been spending too much time with Neal. You are becoming just as dramatic as him. Your squad is still your squad and they all adore you. Just because we are betrothed, doesn't mean you aren't the same sergeant who they play pranks with and tease mercilessly. You're still you, Dom, and nothing will ever change that."

''You're amazing, you know that? You always know exactly what to say to make me feel better but, for the record, I resent the Meathead comment. I am not like him."

Kel smiled as he kissed her.

Back in Corus, the king and queen were also having a heart to heart discussion.

There was a hesitant knock at the door to the king's study.

"Come in," Jon called, still massaging his hand against his forehead. He poured another two drops of the headache relief medicine that Duke Baird had given him a couple of weeks prior. "You can come in," Jon called again when no one entered his study. He waited a few more moments before gulping down his tea and laying his head on the desk.

He was jolted awake by Thayet who entered his office. She looked quite put out.

Great, thought Jon. He was going to get chewed out again. Jon had tried to talk to Thayet the night before but had not been able to enter his own rooms. "Yes?" Jon asked.

"Why didn't you let me in? You never lock the doors to your study. At least not the ones that connect it to our inner rooms," Thayet replied a little hurt.

"I didn't, whoever you got to put the spells on our rooms to keep me out did. Wait, you were the one knocking a couple moments ago? How did you get around to the hallway that quickly?"

"Actually," Thayet replied with a smirk, "I didn't. I knocked on the doors to your study about half a bell ago. I got stopped several times in the hallways on my way around."

Jon was too stresses to even rise to the challenge in his queen's voice. "Did you come here for any particular reason? Because if not, could you please save the lecture for later. I have some work to do," Jon gestured to the massive piles of paperwork and letters strewn across his desk.

Jon ran his hands through his hair again as Thayet walked over to him. He had just put his head down on the desk when she started massaging his neck. He smiled. Thayet always knew when he was stressed and she gave great massages.

"Are you okay?" Thayet whispered to his neck as she worked the knots out of his muscles. "You seem tense, well more tense than usual."

"It might have something to do with the Scanran bandits still running loose in Tortall or the particularly stubborn conservatives who think the commoners are getting too powerful and want me to restrict their rights or the fact that I have no idea what to do with the refugee camps or that the conservatives are outraged about the lady knight's betrothal or even with the fact that my wife made me sleep on a cot in here last night," Jon snapped, his emotions completely frayed.

"Shh, " Thayet whispered as she continued massaging her husbands neck. She kissed his head. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to add to your stress levels. Why didn't you tell me everything that has been happening?"

"You've been busy with the riders since Buri quit and Evin took over. I didn't want to add to your work load."

Thayet smiled as Jon turned his chair around to face her. "Well, that was a very sweet but stupid thing to do. We are partners and we need to work together. Promise you'll share everything with me from now on?" Thayet asked.

"If you truly want me to."

"Good. Now, what is stressing you out?" Thayet asked all business like as she pulled up a chair.

Jon smiled and turned back around to his desk."You know I love you, right?"

"Of course but it is nice to hear it. So, what are the mean ol' conservatives up to this time," Thayet asked comically.

"Some of the more traditional and obnoxious nobles have a problem with commoners learning to defend themselves. Oh, it is all perfectly fine and dandy to teach rough mountain boys to defend their villages if it means nobles don't have to provide protection for them, but they fear teaching commoners in larger cities located near them. Especially women. They think if a woman knows how to protect herself, the next logical step will be letting women into out armies and palace guard."

"Have they really forgotten that 100 years ago, women made up an equal portion of the guards, soldiers, and knights as men?"

"Apparently. I personally think they are more afraid that it is rubbing off on the noble women. Men want noble ladies to be small, delicate, and stupid and be forced to rely on their equally stupid husbands, brothers, or fathers. I have dozens of letters from outraged nobles claiming that we are poisoning their precious, dainty daughters by teaching them self defense at the convent. Most of them don't blame you, Dain, Buri, or Kel, but there are a few who do. Many blame your dressmaker, Lalasa I think, saying that she is corrupting the women by teaching common girls to fight and spreading her influence to her clients."

"Of course," Thayet said. "Blame the commoner. A much easier target."

Jon agreed. They spent six hours discussing everything that had been bothering Jon. They went through and organized Jon's papers, discussing what problems were relevant and coming up with solutions for them and sorting the rest into piles to be properly dealt with.

Two bells after midnight, the royal couple called it quits. They had gone through almost all of the papers and letters on his desk and had come up with several solutions to be discussed when the congress met the following week. The only thing they hadn't talked about was Kel and Dom's betrothal although Thayet had seen countless letters expressing outrage over the fact. Apparently, news traveled even faster than she had thought.

They went down to the kitchens to grab something to eat before returning to their rooms.

"We have to talk about it sometime," Thayet announced as she was changing for bed.

"Talk about what?" Jon asked, playing stupid.

"Kel." Thayet said simply.

"Tomorrow."

"Tonight," Thayet replied but Jon was already blowing out the candles.

* * *

I am trying to get this story back on track. It started out with Kel getting attacked and has turned into a romance so I am trying to get it back to action. Bare with me please.

Sorry again for the long wait. I started this chapter a month ago almost and I have rewritten it several times and I got stuck several times so if it doesn't really flow I am sorry. I will try to update next week. It is Mardi Gras break starting this Friday so I will have a whole week to do 2 weeks worth of work instead of a week to do 2 weeks worth of work and classes. I will try to update soon.


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